A Point To Remember

I recently stumbled across the poetry of Charles Bukowski in my endless internet endeavours. The name was one that I recognized, but the work associated with it was an unfamiliar territory.
Whilst reading through a collection of his works, "Upon Reading A Critical Review" was one poem that really stood out to me. Quite often as an artist, even before you have finished one piece/body of work and idea, you have already moved on to the next thing to capture your attention. This can cause varying amounts of frustration when all other people can see is the older, decaying ideas that no longer spur your artistic capabilities. All you want to do is show them the inside of your brain, to say "Look! Look how many better ideas are to come", when they get caught up in things no longer relevant to you or the art you are producing.
To me, this poem captures that sense of creative progression in a very simple, but powerful and clever way.

upon reading a critical review
by charles bukowski  

it's difficult to accept
and you look around the room
for the person they are talking
about. 

he's not there
he's not here.
he's gone.

by the time they get your book you
are no longer your 
book.
you are on the next page,
the next
book.

and worse,
they don't even get the old books right.
you are given credit for things you don't 
deserve, for insights that aren't 
there. 

people read themselves into books, altering
what they need and discarding what they
don't.

good critics are as rare as good
writers.
and whether I get a good review or a
bad one
I take neither
seriously.

I am on the next page.
the next book.