“The worst thing about being poor,”

            de Kooning said, “is that it takes up all your time”

 

            Which is the best thing about being in love

 

            The trick, it seems to me, is

 

            If you’re poor

            You want to get rich quick

            So you’ll have room for things like love

 

            If you’re in love

            You want it to endure

 

            Maybe it’s that simple, maybe not

 

            I never met de Kooning personally

            But what I knew of him from

            What he cared to show

            Was rich or poor

            He painted day and night

 

            Until you’re dead

            I guess there’s always time and space

            For something more than bread