HELP! I'm 1969vw and I have to write a paper ... Parts 1 and 2! (1 Viewer)

[1969vw]

I have an english project due in a creative writing course. I chose to research the poet Charles Bukowski. I love his poetry but do not understand all of it. I was just wondering if anyone could help me out.

What type of genre of poetry does he write in, in the book 'burning in water drowning in flame'?

I need to choose three of my favorite poems from this books and briefly describe them as well. If anyone is willing to lend a hand it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

[homeless mind]

Still being a couple-three months old here, this must happen all the time...

1969vw is a cool handle.

What do you like about the book? And BUK?

Pax,

homeless mind

 

[bospress.net]

I have an english project due...

Which 3 poems are your favorite in that book?

Even Bukowski's more lyrical poetry is easier to understand than most poetry out there. That is the beauty of Bukowski. If you are having a tough time understanding Bukowski's writing, then other poetry must really be tough to get.

But, to your question. We need more info. It is so vague, that someone would have to write a dissertation on the book to cover all of the bases.

BIll

 

[homeless mind]

Which 3 poems are your favorite in that book?

This must be Jeopardy the game show. How did you beet me to the buzzer that fast? One of life's great mysteries...

 

[bospress.net]

A) I sit at the computer all the time. They bring me sandwiches and energy drinks. I pee in a cup and move my bowels in a bucket. I sleep on the floor next to the computer, so that I can hear the chirp of any incoming e-mails.

or

B) Luck, baby!

Bill

 

[David]

What do you mean by "type of genre of poetry"? Do you mean "Imagist" or "Confessional" or "Black Mountain" or "Objectivist" or "Surreal" or "Poundian" or "Formalist" or "Concrete" or do you mean "form" as in Sonnet Form, or Villanelle, or Free Verse or Haiku or do you really mean style as in the style of e.e. cummings, or do you mean the overall feeling the poem gives you which could be highly emotional or then again what about hermeneutics or phenomenology or maybe the way you read a poem like could it be Feminist, or Marxist, or Reader-Response or Deconstructive? I don't know, what do YOU think?
All kidding aside: Which three poems do you like and why do you like them and how are they different from other poems you have read by other poets?

 

[bospress.net]

1969,
Really, in all seriousness, you have some of the finest scholars in the world on Bukowski here on this forum. Some of these folks have written books on Bukowski, some knew him, etc. Ask the right question (pointed) and you may get a great answer, but you must have read the book first and let us know what three poems. If you have not read the book, then it is all a waste of time, really.

Bill

 

[homeless mind]

I have an english project due...

It's rather simple, but complex if you get out a mental shovel:

Drinking, gambling, womanizing, fuck the man, losers are winners - the simple things in life we all aspire to.

Funny, by the time we all get done here, he'll have a paper for his next assignment in CW Class: Bukowski.Net members...

(Bill, I'm going to click here: ready, set, go! -- DANG YOU ALREADY BEAT ME)

 

[bospress.net]

two minutes late. I was sitting on the bucket...

Bill

 

[1969vw]

Thanks for the many replies already! Sorry the question i asked was so vast. But to clarify what i meant by writing genre would be the style he writes in. Is he writing in lyrical style? A lot of it seems free-form to me.

Here is the exact question that i am suppose to answer....

" You will select three works representing a specific writing genre that most intrigues you. In a report formant, use MLA style and provide information on that genre. You may choose three works by three different writers or three works by one writer. Evidence of research in the form of quotations and citations must be provided in the report. 500-800 words."

To answer the question that many of you asked "what are my favorite three?"

I would have to say one of my favorite poems of the book is "I met a Genius" Its so short and simple. But why does the 6 year old say the ocean isn't beautiful? What does CB mean by this?

Another was "to the whore who took my poems"

And the last of my favorite three would be " startled into life like fire"

 

[hank solo]

So which genre most intrigues you? Do these poems fall into that genre? Then you know the answer to that part of your question.

The kid in 'Genius' didn't think the ocean was beautiful - CB is saying how unimpressed he is with nature.

 

[bospress.net]

Another was "to the whore who took my poems"

This poem is much like the translation for a Catalus (sp?) poem. That could be a writing assignment on its own.

 

[reasonknot]

first of all.is your book the Orange colored one entitled

Burnig In Water,Drowning In Flame
If so, there is three sections that were actually
published as seperate books I believe.

so is your report from poems(1972-1973)pages 155-232

Are you going by those 51 poems? Which three are your favorites?

I'm a good helper.Really

 

[homeless mind]

What do you mean by "type of genre of poetry"? Do you mean "Imagist" or "Confessional" or "Black Mountain" or "Objectivist" or "Surreal" or "Poundian" or "Formalist" or "Concrete" or do you mean "form" as in Sonnet Form, or Villanelle, or Free Verse or Haiku or do you really mean style as in the style of e.e. cummings, or do you mean the overall feeling the poem gives you which could be highly emotional or then again what about hermeneutics or phenomenology or maybe the way you read a poem like could it be Feminist, or Marxist, or Reader-Response or Deconstructive? I don't know, what do YOU think?

Remind me never to take your poetry class. Ouch! However, I do like projectivist poets.

 

[1969vw]

is your book the Orange colored one entitled Burning In Water,Drowning In Flame...

Yes the book i have is the orange colored one entitled Burning in Water Drowning in Flame. I didn't realize that these three sections were published as separate books. My three favorite poems each come from the first three sections in the book.

"To the whore who took my poems" is from It catches My Heart in Its Hands (Poems 1955-1963)

"Startled into life like fire" is from Crucifix in a Deathhand (Poems 1963-1965)

and "I met a genius" is from At Terror Street and Agony Way (Poems 1965 - 1968)

I can focus on any three works from any time period throughout CB's life.

 

[reasonknot]

okay the whole book...

i met a genius from;At terror street and agony way

and said,
it's not pretty.

It was the first time i'd
realized
that.


It just means the kid had always been told
that it was pretty out there
he then had time one day to reflect and voice his
own opinion in front of a poet no one knew existed.

 

[Erik]

I would have to say one of my favorite poems of the book is "I met a Genius" Its so short and simple. But why does the 6 year old say the ocean isn't beautiful? What does CB mean by this?

What CB means, or may have meant, isn't important.
He's dead, and has worms kissing him good night.
Try to imagine why a little 6 year old kid would say something like this.
A poem is supposed to make you think (and feel) for yourself.
It doesn't have any clear cut answers.
(Neither does your teacher.)
So I dare you to imagine: Why would a little snotty kid say something like this?
Done? OK. write that down.
;)

 

[1969vw]

What CB means, or may have meant, isn't important.

So I dare you to imagine: Why would a little snotty kid say something like this?

Thank you for your advice, you have given me great ideas for my paper, and a new outlook on the poem.

 

[mjp]

Everyone here is going to give you a different take on what these things mean. But it doesn't matter what they mean to other people. Like Erik said, ask yourself why a kid would say that about the ocean. There's no wrong answer, that's the main thing.

---

It sounds as if what you say about the poems doesn't matter anyway, as long as the format is correct and you meet the minimum word count. If you suspect that is true, pick the most offensive poems you can find and write really long, run-on sentences about how much you admire the most despicable or nonsensical sections. When you get to 500 words, stop immediately and type a period. Even if you're in the middle of a sentence.

That last part is important. Don't waste any words on this empty exercise. You will need them for the next report.

 

[reasonknot]

That's right . The future is unwritten. Until it is written.Make your Report stick out in the teachers mind and you will get a good mark for the paper.

 

[1969vw]

Thanks everyone! This is only part one of the assignment. when i have completed it i will be sure to ask others opinions on part two! im always interested read what other people have to say about something.

 

[1969vw]

Part two help on Bukowski Assignment

Hey everyone, thanks for your advice on the first question i had earlier today. Part one of the assignment is now complete!

Part two is simple, it is analyzing each of the works that i have chosen in terms of elements. ( I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH DOING THIS)

if you are wondering, the works that i have chosen to criticize are:

1. I Met A Genius

2. To The Whore Who Took My Poems

3. Machineguns, towers & Timeclocks

4. Startled Into Life Like Fire


here is the exact question that i need help with.

"Your critique will also include a discussion on the viability of writing works like those that you have selected. What kind of payment could a writer of such works expect? "

Any help is greatly appreciated. :):)

 

[marina del rey]

here is the exact question that i need help with.

"What kind of payment could a writer of such works expect? "

$100 per month for the rest of his life.

 

[bospress.net]

1969vw;

Only you can help you with this project.

It is pretty well documented how much he expected to receive for his work.

I'm not sure if you want specific help, or if you want someone to write the thing for you.

Bill

 

[1969vw]

Would you be able to tell me where to look for this information i cant find anywhere how much he was paid for his poetry or how much someone "would get" for writing poetry such as this.

 

[Erik]

What kind of payment could a writer of such works expect?

A 300 pound whore and enough worms to kiss him good night for all eternity.

 

[hank solo]

here is the exact question that i need help with.

"Your critique will also include a discussion on the viability of writing works like those that you have selected. What kind of payment could a writer of such works expect? "

The viability? What are you studying? Is it commerce? Teachers get a fair amount of criticism here in the UK, but your homework stinks.

Sorry, I'm not being helpful.

 

[CRBSMILE]

here is the exact question that i need help with.

"Your critique will also include a discussion on the viability of writing works like those that you have selected. What kind of payment could a writer of such works expect? "



Is your poetry teacher a complete twit? Everyone knows poets don't get paid. They starve and die screaming in their own piss, drowning in shit stained gutters. If you really need to answer this qustion than you had better pick another poet. OH! That sucks for you, you'll have to do part one over again. Bummer.

 

[David]

Sounds like you should forget your poetry teacher and go out and rent "Dead Poets Society" with Robin Williams. He was a very good poetry teacher. He told his students about Whitman and Thoreau and had them rip out all the section in their text about meter and stuff like that. And they got up on their desks and recited Whitman's "My Captain, My Captain" in his honor. Also rent "Barfly." That will give you and idea of how much poets expect to be paid for their work.

 

[Bukfan]

"What KIND of payment..?" - Your teacher probably does'nt mean dollars and cents!
I guess the only "payment" a poet can hope for, is people appreciating his poems and that they'll endure through the times. That's where "viability" comes into play. Anyway, that's the way I see it...

 

[chronic]

$100 per month for the rest of his life.

The perfect answer.

:)

 

[mjp]

"Your critique will also include a discussion on the viability of writing works like those that you have selected. What kind of payment could a writer of such works expect?"

This is an interesting question, but only because our young friend here is dissecting older poems.

The impressive thing about Bukowski was that he wrote in his own style knowing it was unusual and would likely not be popular or commercially viable. He wrote in spite of the fact that writing his particular brand of poetry was not a viable pursuit in any way, shape or form.

But you see, the magic of that is that there were other people out there who were tired of the poetic status quo and latched onto Bukowski. So it became viable, but only because he made it so, through determination, lots of hard work, and a fresh perspective.



I apologize to everyone for the serious answer.

 

[CRBSMILE]

Christ mjp, I feel like my Dad just came in and told me to get off the phone and go to sleep! CRB:) :)

 

[mjp]

Well, get off the phone and go to sleep then!

 

[1969vw]

This is an interesting question, but only because our young friend here is dissecting older poems.

The impressive thing about Bukowski was that he wrote in his own style knowing it was unusual and would likely not be popular or commercially viable. He wrote in spite of the fact that writing his particular brand of poetry was not a viable pursuit in any way, shape or form.

But you see, the magic of that is that there were other people out there who were tired of the poetic status quo and latched onto Bukowski. So it became viable, but only because he made it so, through determination, lots of hard work, and a fresh perspective.

Thank you for your opinion! It is GREATLY appreciated.

The viability? What are you studying? Is it commerce? Teachers get a fair amount of criticism here in the UK, but your homework stinks.

Sorry, I'm not being helpful.

I completely agree with you, my homework does frickin stink. And the class i am in is a Creative Writing course.

 

[Purple Stickpin]

1969vw: here's another way to look at your question:

What if you had been me (or someone less offensive, but born at the same time), and had been given this assignment in 1979 or '80 when I was in High School amd taking English class? How would you have done it?

It took me some 10 years to figure out just how Bukowski fit into the whole poetry lineage, and it took reading for several hundred hours; all types; all genres; all generations.

There's no reason why your homework should be easier than was mine. No reason at all.

 

[roni]

What CB means, or may have meant, isn't important. He's dead, and has worms kissing him good night. [...] OK. write that down.

I agree with your whole post, Mr. Keating.

Sounds like you should forget your poetry teacher and go out and rent "Dead Poets Society" with Robin Williams. [...]

As, obviously, you do too, David.

 

[homeless mind]

1969vw: here's another way to look at your question:

While I dig the handle - 1969vw - this kid sounds like my son who doesn't want to open up the book and find the answers, at times. It's easier for mom and dad to do it; or to google it. Dang, I know I'm not getting any younger, but when my old man told me to get out the dictionary to see what a word meant, or how it was spelled, I don't think it hurt...save for falling in love with the dictionary and missing out on all the fun things in my adolescence.