Random
Moyamensing Prison by Charles Bukowski
we shot craps in the exercise yard while the
dummies played ball with a torn-up shirt
wound into a ball
once or twice a day we had to break it up
under a tommy gun from the tower—
some blank-faced screw pointing it at
us, but,
by god, through it we somehow played
and through some skill and
luck
I soon had all the money in the yard.
and in the morning and in the days that followed—
the screws, the sparrows, the shivs, the dips, the
strongarms, the looneys, the hustlers, the freaks,
the discarded dream-presidents of America, the cook,
in fact, all my critics, they all called me
“Mr. Bukowski,” a kind of fleeting immortality
I guess,
but real as hogs’ heads or dead flowers,
and the force of it
got to me there:
“Mr. Bukowski,” ace-crapshooter,
money-man in a world of almost no
money.
immortality.
I didn’t recite them Shelley, no,
and everything came to me after lights out:
slim-hipped boys I didn’t want
steaks and ice cream and cigars which I did
want, and
shaving cream, new razorblades, the latest copy of the
New Yorker.
what greater immortality than Heaven in Hell,
and I continued to enjoy it until they
threw me out on the streets
back to my typewriter,
innocent, lazy, frightened and mortal
again.
Student: I could write like Bukowski.
Me: Go right ahead.
Tags: Charles Bukowski, poetry
student wins?
student wins?
I don’t understand the Bukowski hate. I enjoy a lot of his stuff. Can someone articulate why Bukowski is an inferior poet or point me in the direction of someone who can?
I don’t understand the Bukowski hate. I enjoy a lot of his stuff. Can someone articulate why Bukowski is an inferior poet or point me in the direction of someone who can?
if you dont have haters you’re doing something wrong.
annnnnnnnnd print.
if you dont have haters you’re doing something wrong.
annnnnnnnnd print.
i like when he compared a poem to a bear-shit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1e5Jeh2Fk0
i like when he compared a poem to a bear-shit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1e5Jeh2Fk0
who’s hating?
i like it.
who’s hating?
i like it.
this is great. nice post.
this is great. nice post.
Not to embarrass you, but he was refereing to a “Beer Shit”.
http://splicd.com/r1e5Jeh2Fk0/130/154
Not to embarrass you, but he was refereing to a “Beer Shit”.
http://splicd.com/r1e5Jeh2Fk0/130/154
you shit beer?
you shit beer?
oh i see the error now. my bad. not to embarrass you, but you don’t know how to spell the word “referring”
oh i see the error now. my bad. not to embarrass you, but you don’t know how to spell the word “referring”
Is this a koan?
I don’t have win/lose contests with students.
Jesus, Avatar was long.
Is this a koan?
I don’t have win/lose contests with students.
Jesus, Avatar was long.
this is some funny commentary. The beer shit segment is one of my favorite parts of that interview.
this is some funny commentary. The beer shit segment is one of my favorite parts of that interview.
I’m not at all embarrased by my spalling lacks. However, I do become a bit timid when someone smells my beer shits.
– –
Okay,
Father Luke
I’m not at all embarrased by my spalling lacks. However, I do become a bit timid when someone smells my beer shits.
– –
Okay,
Father Luke
i just wish bukowski had been more careful (or more deliberate) with his line breaks.
i just wish bukowski had been more careful (or more deliberate) with his line breaks.
the beer shit line was classic.
plenty of haters in Southern California, mainly from the “professionals” and “academics” – to see some “drunk tossing words down”.
I love the guy. Asshole? sure. Read Ham and Rye, you’ll see why.
Plus, he produced like a madman, Dead 15? years now and still new poems are getting published.
the beer shit line was classic.
plenty of haters in Southern California, mainly from the “professionals” and “academics” – to see some “drunk tossing words down”.
I love the guy. Asshole? sure. Read Ham and Rye, you’ll see why.
Plus, he produced like a madman, Dead 15? years now and still new poems are getting published.
i’m an asshole
i’m an asshole
In this poem, some line breaks problems might be my fault so Buk would be pissy with me but I would buy him 7 beers and he would say, “you’re alright son.”
my students say the same with Brautigan poetry. “I could write that.”
I say, “Go right ahead.”
In this poem, some line breaks problems might be my fault so Buk would be pissy with me but I would buy him 7 beers and he would say, “you’re alright son.”
my students say the same with Brautigan poetry. “I could write that.”
I say, “Go right ahead.”
I live a block from the from the former site of Moyamensing Prison in South Philly. It’s an ACME supermarket now. Oddly, whenever at that ACME, I’m always struck by “the looneys, the hustlers, the freaks, the discarded dream-presidents of America” buying sugared cereals, white bread, and very cheap about-to-go-bad chicken legs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moyamensing_Prison
I live a block from the from the former site of Moyamensing Prison in South Philly. It’s an ACME supermarket now. Oddly, whenever at that ACME, I’m always struck by “the looneys, the hustlers, the freaks, the discarded dream-presidents of America” buying sugared cereals, white bread, and very cheap about-to-go-bad chicken legs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moyamensing_Prison
about-to-go-bad may be going a little easy on those chicken legs. i almost bought some once.
about-to-go-bad may be going a little easy on those chicken legs. i almost bought some once.
holy..
holy..
Cook ’em long enough and slather ’em in some tangy BBQ sauce — they’re definitely worth $2.35 a dozen.
Cook ’em long enough and slather ’em in some tangy BBQ sauce — they’re definitely worth $2.35 a dozen.
I’m sure students could write Billy Collins, too. But who would want to? I hate when people say that, “well I could do that.” Well then do it and shut the fuck up.
Bukowski is one of my favorites. Brautigan as well. I was standing on the train the other day and “Gee, you’re so beautiful that it’s starting to rain” was on one of the walls.
I’m sure students could write Billy Collins, too. But who would want to? I hate when people say that, “well I could do that.” Well then do it and shut the fuck up.
Bukowski is one of my favorites. Brautigan as well. I was standing on the train the other day and “Gee, you’re so beautiful that it’s starting to rain” was on one of the walls.
Agreed. “Well, I could do that” is the world’s stupidest statement because, well, did you? No? Then shut the fuck up. It’s not as if art is nothing more than imitation of something that already exists. Someone else could have thrown paint at a canvas, but it happened to be Jackson Pollock that did it and became famous for it. So shut the fuck up and go buy a Thomas Kinkade painting full of light, guy next to me at the MOMA saying, “Whatever, my kid could do that.” Because even if your kid could, being able to is really not the point.
I don’t love Bukowski, but I’m hardly going to go around saying, yeah, I could write that. Even if you did, tough shit, kid, because Bukowski already did it. What a dumb thing to say about any artist.
Agreed. “Well, I could do that” is the world’s stupidest statement because, well, did you? No? Then shut the fuck up. It’s not as if art is nothing more than imitation of something that already exists. Someone else could have thrown paint at a canvas, but it happened to be Jackson Pollock that did it and became famous for it. So shut the fuck up and go buy a Thomas Kinkade painting full of light, guy next to me at the MOMA saying, “Whatever, my kid could do that.” Because even if your kid could, being able to is really not the point.
I don’t love Bukowski, but I’m hardly going to go around saying, yeah, I could write that. Even if you did, tough shit, kid, because Bukowski already did it. What a dumb thing to say about any artist.
I like that, Blake.
I like that, Blake.
i bet u do
That is my new favorite thing. Love.
i bet u do
That is my new favorite thing. Love.
but is it true?
i don’t think it is.
but is it true?
i don’t think it is.
i think it is true, but i think so much of modern art depends on the “ideas” of the artist as opposed to strictly his or her artistic capabilities.
i think ideas are essentially the “modern art”
i’ve heard a lot of people say that they aren’t at all impressed with david shrigley. that his drawings look like drawings a ten year-old could do. but i think david shrigley is brilliant. his ideas are good ideas. and i enjoy his drawings.
i think it is true, but i think so much of modern art depends on the “ideas” of the artist as opposed to strictly his or her artistic capabilities.
i think ideas are essentially the “modern art”
i’ve heard a lot of people say that they aren’t at all impressed with david shrigley. that his drawings look like drawings a ten year-old could do. but i think david shrigley is brilliant. his ideas are good ideas. and i enjoy his drawings.
well I am assuming you liked it too (as in it was interesting). You posted it.
well I am assuming you liked it too (as in it was interesting). You posted it.