How does Bukowski capture you? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter nomadi00
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Father Luke
Founding member
There's a scene in The Bank Dick, with W.C. Fields.
The final scene actually.
W.C. Fields is rich now, and he's out for a stroll.
Out of nowhere, his bartender, Shemp Howard, walks by, whistling.
W.C. Fields forgets everything he's doing, and starts chasing after Shemp Howard.
It's sort of like that.
I'd forgotten people could be honest, funny, and real all at the same time.
I dropped everything, and I've been chasing Bukowski ever since.
The final scene actually.
W.C. Fields is rich now, and he's out for a stroll.
Out of nowhere, his bartender, Shemp Howard, walks by, whistling.
W.C. Fields forgets everything he's doing, and starts chasing after Shemp Howard.
It's sort of like that.
I'd forgotten people could be honest, funny, and real all at the same time.
I dropped everything, and I've been chasing Bukowski ever since.
Honest men are the antidote to paranoia. They make you see that your emotions are not abnormal, or unjustified. It's just that others are so good at hiding them, and this makes you feel misanthropic or cynical or in some way deviant. Honest men let you know that you're not alone. Bukowski's value comes from his honesty.
the honesty, the drinking, the girls
chronic
old and in the way
Ouch. That sounds about as pleasant a proctological exam preformed by Andre the giant.
The funny thing is, and I've heard from others in this forum, I read one poem and was "hooked" (for me "Spring Swan", Days Run Away Like...). Now how can that be? Well, it probably can't be? It's more likely a form of romanticizing or idol worship or something. It's more likely I read one poem then another and another, and unlike most writers, in Buk
you find a lot of gems. And the next book's the same...and the next and the next.
When suddenly, it seems sudden at any rate, like Father Luke says you drop everything and start chasing Bukowski.
But your question is why? (And why does it seem to be such common experience among Buk fans?) In a sense it's not even worth discussing, because I doubt there's an answer. But for me, reading Buk's poetry, has been like rummaging through a shit load of junk to suddenly come upon a jewel..to get chills and think this is it, this is love or this is sadness, I know this feeling myself, it's all been worth it for this one poem. Then I start searching for the next prize....
And at least the "junk" is entertaining :)
BD
you find a lot of gems. And the next book's the same...and the next and the next.
When suddenly, it seems sudden at any rate, like Father Luke says you drop everything and start chasing Bukowski.
But your question is why? (And why does it seem to be such common experience among Buk fans?) In a sense it's not even worth discussing, because I doubt there's an answer. But for me, reading Buk's poetry, has been like rummaging through a shit load of junk to suddenly come upon a jewel..to get chills and think this is it, this is love or this is sadness, I know this feeling myself, it's all been worth it for this one poem. Then I start searching for the next prize....
And at least the "junk" is entertaining :)
BD
I think I agree with you, southern gent.
There's this quote that goes something like... 'there will come the age when man will learn to express himself on the sheet...' I never knew Bukowski, and the parts of him I was able to look at weren't all good, but I got a good picture from him. I think any author that's worth his salt will give you that. I like and admire Bukowski was a tough, earthy guy (there's a book I had to read in a communication class, The Life And Times Of Michael K., that kind of reminds me of this); but the thing that draws me to him most, like Gent said, is his honesty. I feel we're all pretty much the same, except for small differences of experience; and Buk was a really interesting guy who lent me a peek into his I guess extraordinary individuality.
I can't say I'm not a fan of poetry, because I don't read it much, but I can say I've read each of Buk's novels (except Pulp) twice, and plan on reading them some more.
There's this quote that goes something like... 'there will come the age when man will learn to express himself on the sheet...' I never knew Bukowski, and the parts of him I was able to look at weren't all good, but I got a good picture from him. I think any author that's worth his salt will give you that. I like and admire Bukowski was a tough, earthy guy (there's a book I had to read in a communication class, The Life And Times Of Michael K., that kind of reminds me of this); but the thing that draws me to him most, like Gent said, is his honesty. I feel we're all pretty much the same, except for small differences of experience; and Buk was a really interesting guy who lent me a peek into his I guess extraordinary individuality.
I can't say I'm not a fan of poetry, because I don't read it much, but I can say I've read each of Buk's novels (except Pulp) twice, and plan on reading them some more.
When I read him, I am in awe of his ability to capture a feeling or moment in time and strip it bare, yet find the beauty in it. He'd probably laugh if he read that. He wrote because he had to. I read Buk because I need the truth. His stories make me feel alright to be me, and that's a fine feeling. I've learned more from him in the last 4 months then I have over the course of my 37 years on this earth.
P
postino
reading bukowski is kind of like reading the Sunday funnies. All the characters are cartoonish, and there's a laugh on every page.
