an empire of coins (1 Viewer)

[the only good poet]

anyone any idea why a polished up version of the poem An empire of coins (from madrigals)was included in the postumous volume betting on the muse? maybe it was archived because it had been subsequently polished up by b...?

it was a favourite from madrigals for me, it stood out.

 

[HenryChinaski]

well that was the case with more than just that poem.
I've found a lot of poems appearing in more than one collection with a few differences.
its not too uncommon.

 

[the only good poet]

yes, well, thanks, HC - i've seen the poem "some picnic" in love is a dog replicated in play the piano, and there's some early poems from readings, etc, published in the postumous collections - but why did BS take a poem they had already published in "early selected poems" and place it into a postumous collection...to bulk it up?

 

[hank solo]

i think cirerita has said elsewhere that Martin seemed a bit vague about this topic - suggesting he just didn't remember what he had published before.. it might just be that he didn't keep a record of what had been published, and if he had several versions of a poem it would have been easy for him to republish in this way. perhaps he just had a huge pile of Bukowski poems and would just take whatever was on top and publish it :)

 

[the only good poet]

ok, thanks, HC.

 

[antelope1202]

I've wondered this myself....specifically about this poem, something about it's double publication stands out to me. Whatever it's published in, it's one of my favorites of either collection anyway, so that just means i get to read it more!

I wish i had a brush, some paint and a brush, i say

"Why?" asks one of the
whores.

BECAUSE RATS DON'T LIKE OIL! I scream.



i love it.