Rural Equivalents to Bukowski (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Riutta]

I find it interesting that, despite the fact that Bukowski's work thrived
off inner-city themes, there are "rural" equivalents to his abrupt honesty.
The most obvious that comes to mind is poet and novelist, Jim Harrison.
His body of work, though mostly set in rural America, consists of themes
similar to those of Bukowski. I guess it just goes to show that region
and geography are certainly not what determines the level of "honesty."
There is nothing pastoral in true rural grit: it resigns to the fact that truth
can be found at the bottom of a bottle of beer just as easily as it can
in the family Bible.

 

[Father Luke]

Raymond Carver has been likened with Bukowski.

Read: A small good thing and also Cathedral if you haven't read them.
I think you will see what all the fuss is about.

 

[justine]

i would second both those carver recommendations, and also tobias wolff's collection 'hunter in the snow" (i think that's the title).

 

[Father Luke]

The other thing is that
this isn't a Jim Harrison forum.
Nor is it a Hemingway forum.
Nor is it a Richard Brautigan forum.
Neither is it an Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Onward
Christian Soldiers, et. al, ad nauseum. . . forum.

But hey? Lively discussions? You bet. Why one
topic of conversation, just from recent memory,
involves bringing the dead back to life.

Another involves hemorrhoids.

Bibles? Sure.
We have a wedding conversation starting.

And me? Heh. . .

(digs toe into instep . . .) well. Shucks. Never mind.

- -
Okay,
Father Luke

 

[hank solo]

Oh great, another bad ending on the horizon . . .

 

[Father Luke]

Ooops. Sorry.

Come back, Shane!

 

[hank solo]

Hey, I like that :D

 

[hoochmonkey9]

rural, as in...

"The "metro-male' of Montreal, New York City or Los Angeles has nothing over the refinements of this unhorsed, chain smoking samurai of rural, blue-collar America." "”Michael McClintock ?

are you here for Bukowski or to promote?
just curious.

 

[Gerard K H Love]

Andrew Riutta said:
There is nothing pastoral in true rural grit: it resigns to the fact that truth
can be found at the bottom of a bottle of beer just as easily as it can
in the family Bible.

The dog says:
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz,ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz.
Welcome to the forum. Nice first post. You just wait 'til the pup wakes up.
And he loses an hour of sleep....and it's a sad day March 9th. He's going to be cranky.
Andrew OK,say something nice about all the Bukowski books you are reading.

 

[Father Luke]

Rural Equivalents to Bukowski Redux . . . My dear Mr. Shane

I find it interesting that, despite the fact that Bukowski's work thrived
off inner-city themes,

Well, you know, cutting the lawn in the burbs as a
child hostage isn't exactly the stuff of inner cities.
But, okay.

there are "rural" equivalents to his abrupt honesty.
The most obvious that comes to mind is poet and novelist, Jim Harrison.

Well, that's one way to look at it. You know, I still
would say that, aside from the clichés about
Bukowski, he was very urban, very "rural".

I was walking to the mail box in my bathrobe when
my junk fell out, and the neighbor lady spied it, and...

you know?

Seriously? I can come up with half a dozen
examples like that (snaps fingers) - just immediately.

His body of work, though mostly set in rural America, consists of themes similar to those of Bukowski.

Look, even pretending to take you seriously has
become pain in the balls.

I guess it just goes to show that region
and geography are certainly not what determines the level of "honesty."
There is nothing pastoral in true rural grit: it resigns to the fact that truth
can be found at the bottom of a bottle of beer just as easily as it can
in the family Bible.

Certainly Gothic novelists, Oh. . . maybe Poppy Z. Brite, f'rinstance. . . can go wiggy with that kind of thing.

But there is more than truths to Bukowski. There is
a humor about it all. Deep feelings, certainly. And
while I am entertained by the likes of Faulkner,
and the Southern American writers, Wolfe, Dr.
Hunter S. Thompson, etc., there is a poetry, shall
we say? about Bukowski's short pieces. While in his
longer pieces, Bukowski has the humor. Always
with the humor.

Oh, and welcome! Very thought provoking first post.

May I suggest you introduce yourself in the New Blood section?
Many people are waiting to meet you here!

 

[bospress.net]

Who is Shane?

 

[Father Luke]

Oh, Alan Ladd will always be Shane to me

There never was a man like SHANE.
Novel by Jack Schaefer

 

[Digney in Burnaby]

Been meaning to read Shane. I found it in paperback form recently for about two-bits. I remember a poem in Wormwood on the Shane theme. Charles Webb? Can't remember right now.

On the rural theme I've been reading a memoir by Canadian poet Patrick Lane, "There is a Season", about his first year being sober after 40plus years drinking. He lives on the west coast of Canada and seems to be going through the 12 months (steps?) of a year rejuvenating his garden. Also many looks back to his life growing up in the Interior of British Columbia. Both his father and brother were murdered.

Two gritty scenes from his past,so far, are his finding a dead child, very young, wrapped in trash in the local garbage pit. And a youthful witnessing of a native woman being raped in the back alley of his home town. Neither told to anyone at the time. For him, and the times, it wasn't the best policy to go to the police.

Two images from his poems that come to mind include somebody (himself?) screwing a calf in the ass. The other was somebody (himself?) showing how to castrate a ram out in the field with his teeth. (Mountain Oysters?)

That rural enough?

 

[the only good poet]

erskine caldwell. there's a name.

 

[Bukfan]

Oh, Alan Ladd will always be Shane to me

Yes, he'll always be Shane - and James Bowie in "The Iron Mistress"!

 

[Father Luke]

"I don't want to be limited to the main subject matter of
white middle class novelists in America which is "nifty guys
at loose ends" - Jim Harrison

 

[bospress.net]

Charles Harper Webb is a damn fine poet in my book. I think that he is at CSULB now. He was a regular in Wormwood Review.

Bill

 

[Digney in Burnaby]

Shane, the poem

Been meaning to read Shane. I found it in paperback form recently for about two-bits. I remember a poem in Wormwood on the Shane theme. Charles Webb? Can't remember right now.

Sorry to bring this up so far down the line. Cleaning up around here and I finally found the book Tarzan and Shane Meet The Toad. "Shane", the poem, was written by Charles Stetler. Also appeared in Wormwood Review #46 (1972).