J.J. Campbell

a major accomplishment

another day 
avoiding death
 
some people think
of such a day as a 
major accomplishment
 
i applaud those people
 
i’m not one of them
 
death has been at the
front of my mind for
over thirty-five years
now
 
countless people have
tried to help
 
therapists, friends,
lovers, family,
jack daniels,
jim beam,
 
even a few fine 
fellows from mexico 
tried their hardest 
a few years ago
 
not everyone gets
the  picket fence
and trophy wife
 
my father always told
me there would always
be a need for people to
dig ditches and graves
 
he always claimed
he knew something
I didn’t