Charles Bukowski’s Legacy

I gave my subscribers a taste of his poetry in my last post and could write so much more about Charles Bukowski.

He was my favourite poet for almost 20 years. I have read nearly all his poetry books and novels, and I’ve watched the films based on his life. I wanted to emulate him in every way but eventually realized I couldn’t drink myself to the point of death. I also realized that somewhere along the way—with age, clarity, and acceptance—I wasn’t as cynical as I once believed, and I began to see the world differently.

During this time, I stopped reading Bukowski entirely and, in moments of grandeur, even believed I had evolved beyond him! After almost five years, including the publication of my first poetry book, I decided to revisit Bukowski—and what a revelation it has been!

Bukowski wrote honestly about the world as it was, not as he wished it would be, often to the reader’s discomfort. And although he had a cynical streak—sometimes even a nasty one—he also wrote about love through the eyes of a star-crossed lover and about the resilience of the human spirit. He wasn’t just an alcoholic (a proud one, too) who walked the line of homelessness. He died a wealthy and famous man, and he taught me that you can be many things in life, even at the same time, and that no single designation, event, or action defines you. He was marvelous—and so are you.

The Laughing Heart

By Charles Bukowski

your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.