I have touched the divine
felt inspired by the spiritual.
I have dived into the whirlpool
of creativity
been sucked down
to the circling depths
where the artist is anointed—
and then spewed back
into a world
where artistic expression
is a commercial venture.

The success stories show us
spoiled children
who have worshipped
the mammon materialism—
or spoiled adults
who could not handle
the burden of expression
and became alcoholic neurotics.

We can only share the product
not the experience.