tattoo this poem

tattoo this poem on the back of your neck
and forget about it

years hence, when you're starving in your garret
or in the gutter
people will suddenly take note

"it's art!" "I'll buy it!"
and you'll be rich beyond your wildest dreams

you'll collect all the royalties -- unbeknownst to you,
scholars have been quoting it for decades
and rap artists remixing it

at 7 cents per citation
you can retire in style, buy a cottage on Bimini,
purchase a king-sized bed
and fill it with Chinese beauties

sure it's nice to be famous when you're young
how much better when you're old and jaded
having seen the world
no ambitions, or scruples, left to torment you