The Muse And I Poem by Thomas Case

When the agony
of dawn awakens
me.
I think of
drinking
booze to arouse
the muse from
her slumber.
But I don't;
instead, I slam
three cups of
coffee, hoping to
jolt the old
bitch from her
lethargy.
If the caffeine
doesn't do the trick,
I grab a few of
our favorites:
Bukowski,
Neruda,
and Dylan Thomas.
I pace the floor
and read out loud.
Eventually, I feel her
begin to stir.
I yell,
'Is your fickle ass ready to work? '
And then the real day begins.
I know this sounds crazy,
but the muse and I
wouldn't have it any
other way.