He would always congratulate me
for how I could clear a room.
“I love how you just don’t give a fuck,”
he’d say to me
when, of course,
I cared quite a big deal.

He thought the ability to alienate
was laudable, even though I came by it
with no effort whatsoever.
I was not quite so impressed
with his skills.

I can still empty an audience
in no time flat.
He no longer compliments me for it
maybe because
he no longer comes to my shows.