bluebird - charles bukowski

there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out

but I'm too tough for him,

I say, stay in there, I'm not going to let anybody see you.

there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out

but I pur whiskey on him and inhale cigarette smoke

and the whores and the bartenders and the grocery clerks

never know that he's in there.

there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out

but I'm too tough for him,

I say, stay down, do you want to mess me up?

you want to screw up the works?

you want to blow my book sales in Europe?

there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out

but I'm too clever, I only let him out at night sometimes

when everybody's asleep.

I say, I know that you're there, so don't be sad.

then I put him back, but he's singing a little in there,

I haven't quite let him die

and we sleep together like that with our secret pact

and it's nice enough to make a man weep,

but I don't weep,

do you?