It is one of my most favourite of Buk's poems. Someone suggested to me Sylvia Plath - the timeframe could work out, but the details don't match (France, not England, and (I presume) drowning, rather than gas). However, he does suggest that the poem is almost made up, also suggesting that it is almost true...
I'm aware of this mention of Plath, in the Stonecloud interview:
STONECLOUD: Have you read anything of Sylvia Plath's?
BUKOWSKI: Yeah, she did the thing, didn't she? And she didn't get famous until after she did it. I never read too much of her stuff.
I'm aware of this mention of Plath, in the Stonecloud interview:
STONECLOUD: Have you read anything of Sylvia Plath's?
BUKOWSKI: Yeah, she did the thing, didn't she? And she didn't get famous until after she did it. I never read too much of her stuff.