A Farewell Thing While Breathing

a farewell thing while breathing
was walking down the hall
in underwear
with painted face like clown
a bomb from Cologne in right pocket
a SEASON IN HELL
in the left,
stripes of sunset
like
bass
running
down
his
arms,
and they found him in the morning
dangling in the fire escape
window,
face frosted and gone as an electric bulb,
and the sparrows
were in the brush downstairs,
and
friend,
sparrows do not sing
they emit sound,
and
they emitted sound,
and they
(the people, not the sparrows)
carried him down the steps
like a wasted owl.

Charles Bukowski