In the Midst of Life

POOR VAN GOGH

What poor Van Gogh needed

was a little pill,

or perhaps not that pill

but a different little pill,

or perhaps a different one again

for a month, for a year, for life,

or perhaps a combination

of little pills, try this one, try that one,

try that one and another together,

lots of little pills perhaps he needed,

a thousand pounds’ worth,

ten thousand pounds’ worth,

half a million pounds’ worth

given the research costs

and the cost of Public Relations

and the expectations of shareholders,

then poor Vincent could have

given up painting masterpieces

and vanished without trace

into old age.

— David Hart

From Running Out (Five Seasons Press, 2006)