need help finding a story (1 Viewer)

[anthony]

hi, cirerita. i'm not sure i'm using this right. hope something gets through to you.

do you know anything about a story (maybe a poem?) about a sulky rider
who died. name, i think o'brien. can't remember title of book or title of story
(big help, i know).read it a few years ago and loved it . want my son to read it.
it's bukowski at his tenderest, like when he writes about whores and bums he loved.
ANY info at all would be appreciated.
thanks, anthony

 

[cirerita]

I don't know, really. I'm not very good at remembering titles. There's a story or poem titled "the death of a jockey", or something similar, but it might be a different jockey. the poem "Hello, Willie Shoemaker" is also about a jockey, I think. I read it ages ago and I could be wrong!

 

[anthony]

thanks for the reply, but neither of those are the one i'm looking for.
i appreciate yyour taking the time.

anthony

 

[Brother Schenker]

"A Magician, Gone..."
From You Get So Alone At Times That It Just Makes Sense
Pages 62-64


It ends:

"I had to turn my back
to the crowd
and climb the upper grandstand
steps
to the wall
so the people wouldn't
see me
cry."

 

[zoom man]

Wow, brother,
You're good.
I bet that is exactly the one Anthony means.
(And I've got You Get So Alone right handy near my camode!,
And I didn't get it)
That is a sweet sweet poem

 

[Brother Schenker]

It's the right one, I'd stake my life on it.
I knew which one he was referring to straight away.
Too bad he didn't stick around to find out.

 

[anthony]

thanks from anthony

It's the right one, I'd stake my life on it.
I knew which one he was referring to straight away.
Too bad he didn't stick around to find out.

BULLSEYE! Thank you Brother Schenker. A Magician, Gone is the very one I was
looking everywhere for and couldn't find. Now my son has it (and loves it) and is using it for his senior paper on Bukowski and Hemingway. Beautiful. Thanks so much, and thanks to Cirerita , too.
Sorry I didn't respond sooner but my machine was on the blink.
All the best, Anthony

p.s. Isn't great to see Bukowski reveal his heart this way, directly and without shame? I love this poem. Thanks again.

 

[Brother Schenker]

Truly glad I could help.

It choked me up the first time I redd it---and I never forgot it.