"The End"

Elizabeth Bishop is the first name that comes to mind as a possibility. Anne Sexton would be another possibility. But I'm shooting in the dark; also, I've not read anything about Buk's opinion of either (at least that I can recall).
 
My first thought was Anne Sexton as well. She would be dead in less than two years and there are photos from the early 70s that pretty clearly show how hard a time she was having... I spent about an hour (the limit of my google patience) trying to track down any mention CB might have made about a poetess but had no luck.
 
Normally, one or more folks here can nail an answer to a very specific question such as this, but I get the sense that this one is very subjective. Unless, of course, those here who are well-versed in the letter collections (not me) recall a nugget that they may have read. That would seem to be the most likely source to get a definitive (or close to it) answer.
 
I would guess he is referring here not to any famous female poet--Plath, Bishop, etc.--but rather to one of the poetesses he had contact with through the little magazines: Ann Menebroker, Lyn Lifshin, etc. On the other hand, I'm not sure he considered Lifshin a "fine poetess" which narrows it to Menebroker. But I'm just guessing here. In fact, I can't think of any well-known women writers he admired, other than Carson McCullers....
 
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Purple Stickpin said:
[... letter collections (not me) recall a nugget that they may have read. That would seem to be the most likely source to get a definitive (or close to it) answer.
Click to expand...

Here is a letter recently sold, but not sure if it answers anything, but it is interesting to read regardless. Sorry, tried to copy url address but it kept coming up on a different page.

AbeBooks.com
Menebroker sells for $1,500

We sold a typed Charles Bukowski letter earlier this week for $1,500. It’s a great letter, from the poet to Ann Menebroker, another poet and long-time friend.

Hello Ann—
Hold yourself together, the glue may arrive to keep you and Wayne going.
Of course I’d like to see you but I can promise you nothing–
neither sex or love or maybe not even understanding. But
I would like to see you. We could have some drinks and lounge
about and you could stay as long as you wished. Things are
quiet here. People do come by but not too often. I have no
strong attachments. There is one lady who says, “Bukowski,
I don’t see why you don’t love me. I’m a beautiful woman.”
“Sorry,” I tell her, “I’ve got the lever turned to OFF.”
I don’t know if I ever want to get back into a strong
affair again. I am too emotional, I am too sentimental; when
when the games begin–the hard games men and women play against each other, I am lost.
Well, the book finally came out, it’s a fat one, SELECTED POEMS,
and my name’s on the cover so I suppose that I wrote them.
Try to stay well and don’t feel too bad, or if you do
feel too bad, remember it happens to all of us. Hold, dear,
hold to the fucking walls, and soon you’ll be laughing, you’ll
be thinking, how did I ever let it get hold of me like that?
All we need is time–to straighten out, feel better, and then
make the same mistake all over again.
love, BUK

Life coaching – Bukowski-style.​
 
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David said:
I would guess he is referring here not to any famous female poet--Plath, Bishop, etc.--but rather to one of the poetesses he had contact with through the little magazines: Ann Menebroker, Lyn Lifshin, etc. On the other hand, I'm not sure he considered Lifshin a "fine poetess" which narrows it to Menebroker. But I'm just guessing here. In fact, I can't think of any well-known women writers he admired, other than Carson McCullers....
Click to expand...
The poem pretty clearly insinuates that the poetess is aging and likely in poor health. Ann Menebroker is still writing today; in 1972 she hardly would have cut the figure that Buk discusses in his brief poem. Agreed about McCullers. I suppose it could be her, as she did write some poetry and although she died in 1967, Buk may have been being a wise-ass about seeing her photo now (in '72).
 
I've been looking off and on all day and the only "fine poetess" that is still in the running is Anne Sexton but I can't find that one bit of info or quote to tie them together. She certainly wasn't writing as much anymore and was having health troubles both physical and otherwise. There are quite a few photos from that time of Anne looking tired and drawn even though she was only in her early 40s....
Booze and pills....
 
I don't think this has to be one specific poetess, established or not. It could speak for anybody.

Anyway, there is is a connection between Bukowski and Anne Sexton. Bukowski obviously was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 66/67 (at least he writes about this in Screams from the Balcony) but Sexton got it.

Can't quote exactly, because I don't have Screams now. But it's in there.
 
My days are full // of questions // but // they don't keep me up // at night.

I may never // receive and probably don't // deserve the // answers. // Oct.22nd 2013


(Pardon my spontaneous poetry, semi-retirement is good)

Sorry, no poetry or poetry-like-posts, Ed.
 

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