If you mention Bukowski to some people, especially if they are Mr. Fancy pants English professors, they will roll their eyes and talk about things like ‘shock value’ and blah blah blah. Also if you write anything like Bukowski you will get the same look and people will talk about how is been done so many time and ‘let the man rest’ and so forth. One should approach anything by Bukowski with an open mind, as one should approach anything.
Charles Bukowski was born in 1920 in Germany, his parents soon moved to America. He died a few years ago, 1994. Now if you like to drink heavily you might like Bukowski because he is well known for his accounts of drunken debauchery, but that is not all that he is about. He is also about loneliness. So if you’re a lonely drunk you will like old Charlie as much as I do. You could say that Bukowski led to my eventual downfall, but I think that maybe he was just my friend on the way down.

Let me state that I love this book; this collection of poems from 1974-1977 speaks to me in a way that few can. Mostly I don’t like the poetry of other people, I think that too often it’s cheap and sentimental, and often filled with sophomoric uttering and filled with angst. Teenagers write REALLY bad poems (with a few exceptions that I know: disclaimer) especially if they dress all in black and maybe think that they are just not understood.
Of course you must face the reality that even the greatest of poets write crap a lot of the time, it is the few glittering gems that make something worthwhile.
Now I’ve said that Bukowski is about loneliness, to me this is demonstrated most clearly in his poem another bed. I’m not going to critique the poem for you, you bastards. Read it yourself.

-another bed, other ears, other ear rings, other mouths, other slippers,
other dresses.
Of course what he is talking about here is the familiarity of certain situations that we find ourselves in. It’s the same story always. To ‘The Dr.’ poetry is about hitting the right notes. It is not about politics or a good vocabulary or about witty criticism. Love Is A Dog From Hell hits this note for me more then any other Bukowski book.

Charles Bukowski writes in an autobiographical context most of the time, like Henry Miller lets say. Though you must remember, as Henry said about his own work, “It’s all true, and if it isn’t it may as well be.” If you don’t understand this then maybe you need to reevaluate your definition of truth.
If you hate poets and poetry then you should definitely read this. Bukowski hates them too. He especially hates his fans.
There is a GREAT movie that he wrote the screenplay for called Barfly starring Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway. It really is great. It is based on a time in his younger days when he would continually fight the bartender of the local bar. And of course there are tragic women. You should watch it. Because if you don’t I’ll kick your baby. That’s right.
I guess the main thing about Bukowski that I like is that he tells the truth. Which, again, is not to say that he tell facts. The facts and the truth often have nothing to do with each other.

we will taste the islands
and the sea

I know that some night
in some bedroom
soon
my fingers will
rift
through
soft clean
hair

songs such as no radio
plays

all sadness, grinning
into flow.
I would not say that this small, simple poem is typical or representative of most of his work in this book so here is something a little more Bukowski-esque if you will.
moaning and groaning

she writes: you’ll
be moaning and groan-
ing in your poems
about how I fucked
those 2 guys last week.
I know you.
she writes on to
say that my vibe
machine was right-
she had just fucked
a third guy
but she knows I don’t
want to hear who, why
or how. she closes her
letter, “love.”

rats and roaches
have triumphed again.
Here it comes running
With a slug in its
mouth, it’s singing
old love songs.
close the windows
moan
close the doors
groan.

That’s a little more like the old man. Some people would call him a misogynist and say blah. These people are of course idiots. And if they read a little more they would find his tragic love for all that is woman.
Have a nice day.

-the Dr.
A Note From Hollywood...
If you watch Barfly, you may notice Bukowski in a cameo appearance in the bar.

Shameless Plug:
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Buy Barfly from Amazon.com

More Resources for Charles Bukowski:
Lots of pictures of Bukowski
Lots of Bukowski writings
Bukowski Lives!
LitKicks: Charles Bukowski
Bukowski & Beer
Charles Bukowski Ate My Balls

u dont mention
the movie call crazy love (love is a dog from hell) is better then barfly
barfly is great

hey, dude, i stumbled upon this little essay of yours, and i have to thank you. like you, i’m not really one of those people who dig poetry, but after this, you convinced me to give old chuck a try, and after reading a few of his works i just had to come back and, well, thank you.