The Choices That An Artist Has To Make So That He May Not Be Forgotten By His Stalkers Poem by RIC BASTASA

look at this man
alone in a boat
on a journey of
his own,

you ask some
questions: why
is he alone? where
is his wife? no kids?
no parents?
no paddles? no
engine? no sails?
or masts?

is this how an
artist has to
portray man?
why not fill the
boat with people
partying in the
middle of the sea?
lots of music and
drinks and
dancing and singing?
some rooms for
intimacies
people have to
make love and
enjoy their flesh

how can an artist
be so cruel about
a man's state?

now, listen,
can you do much
better than this?
why not art be
a celebration of
life? Put this man
in a cruise,
provide him
the needed luxuries,
ballroom, buffet,
live band music,
etcetera,

then have a twist
that everyone
cannot forget and
remember you
instead

sink the Titanic.