Bluebird, by Charles Bukowski

First I saw an animation on youtube, then I discovered the poem.
Smooth and harsh, tender and cruel. We all keep a hidden bluebird in our heart. Do we ever wonder if it is already dead?

 There's a bluebird in my heart that

wants to get out

but I'm too tough for him,

I say, stay in there, I'm not going

to let anybody see you.

There's a bluebird in my heart that

wants to get out

but I pour whiskey on him and inhale

cigarette smoke

and the whores and the bartenders

and the grocery clerks

never know that

he's in there.

There's a bluebird in my heart that

wants to get out...

but I'm too tough for him,

I say,

stay down, do you want to mess

me up?

you want to screw up the works?

you want to blow my book sales in Europe?

There's a bluebird in my heart that

wants to get out

but I'm too clever, I only let him out

at night sometimes

when everybody's asleep.

I say, I know that you're there,

so don't be sad.

Then I put him back,

but he's singing a little

in there, I haven't quite let him die

and we sleep together like that

with our secret pact

and it's nice enough to

make a man

weep, but I don't weep,

do you?"