Damned Poets

Been reading a lot of Allen Ginsberg's poems.  In the intro to "Howl and Other Poems" his friend William Carlos Williams wrote: "We are blind and live our blind lives out in blindness. Poets are damned but they are not blind.  They see with the eyes of the angels."   

Infidelity

We are the damned, you know,
sharing sad all-seeing souls
but I won’t drink your angel songs again.

I lie. I do. When I am lost
I read and take a sip
of your sad longing
one sip before deleting
like the poison I deserve.

            You preferred my words
            to my desire
            so while I’ve kept my body
            a reluctant shrine
            my words I’m serving up
            a poet whore
            whose words come cheap and free

            and haven’t told you
            where my brothel lies.