the people in the audience

want to laugh when Bukowski

reads his poems from the stage.

they anticipate the language

as Bukowski readies them.

they laugh.

they laugh because Bukowski

wants them to.

they laugh because they’re

uncomfortable because

their mothers might hear

because they’ve got kids

because some have vaginas

and others have dicks, I guess.

who knows why?

Bukowski doesn’t even know

they’re there.