the memoirist responds to his critics

[betteroffbad]

some people are terrible writers
but have tragedies one after one
so why should facts be the deciders
of who gets to have all the fun

what boots it to ooze writing genius
when you're rich and your parents are living
the whole world looks on you with meanness
for privilege bears no forgiving

when Princeton trashed my application
I was just as heartbroken and shattered
as if orphaned in some war-torn nation
those feelings were real and they mattered

when you're seventeen everything's crushing
when you're twenty-one everything's cruel
you could drown in the tears that come gushing
when some teacher ignores you at school

so what if I'm technically tumorless
we're all marked for death in the end
you people are boring and humorless
you don't deserve me as a friend

so what if i don't have rare cancers
and my dogs didn't really get bludgeoned
do you think that you have all the answers
what's the source of you getting all dudgeoned

great writers are always great tellers of lies
and sometimes about themselves too
my greatness is clear if you open your eyes
if you trust me the joke is on you