Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
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Saturday, January 03, 2009
The Poet Laureate of Skid Row
Charles Bukowski, Poet Laureate of Skid Row, is nearly forgotten these days. His "Bluebird" is nice enough to make a man weep. But I don't weep, do you?
8 comments:
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i don't keep a mirror in my purse, just so bukowski would consider me liberated.
ReplyDeletebukowski was a sleaze and a chauvinist. you might be better to read the poems of some his contemporaries like greg corso, allen ginsberg, or the recently deceased philomene long.
ReplyDeleteNow all the vapid Camille Paglia groupies will come out of the wood work to attack Charles.
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:44,
ReplyDeleteWith no disprespect intended to the people you mention, I admire Bukowski's writing. I actually enjoy his prose more than his poetry. Post Office is hilarious ... and sad. I love the gritty realism and the way he thumbs his nose at authority, success and elitists. And through it all, there's a bluebird in his heart that wants to get out, but he's too tough for him.
Any person who could write that poem is neither sleaze nor chauvinist.
Sounded like one of Stoffas more upbeat speeches.
ReplyDeleteBukowski, like Stoffa, is honest and sincere. You can't even identify yourself. What a sad little person you must be.
ReplyDeleteI love Bukowski, he's one of my favorite poets. I find his writing very honest and gritty. I'm female and his chauvinism doesn't bother me, the way he writes is so clever.
ReplyDeletefavorite line (possibly paraphrased after all these years): " I don't hate the them, I just feel better when they're not around." I use it all the time.
ReplyDelete