What They Mean To Ask Poem by Arthur H Rowley

People keep asking me,
as though they mean to appear helpful,
about the job I don't have
'I'm an artist' I tell them
'this is my job'

'it doesn't pay' they say
and they're right
there is no money in sorrow
just because I can write like a bitter old man
and hold a piano in my warm palms
doesn't mean this life owes me anything

what they mean to ask me
is 'where's the money? '
'what are you doing? '
'have you no brain? '
'have you no sense of pride? '
what I mean to tell them
is 'no, if I did I wouldn't be an artist'