Bluebird

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I'm not going
to let anybody see
you.
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I pour whiskey on him and inhale
cigarette smoke
and the whores and the bartenders
and the grocery clerks
never know that
he's
in there.

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say,
stay down, do you want to mess
me up?
you want to screw up the
works?
you want to blow my book sales in
Europe?
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too clever, I only let him out
at night sometimes
when everybody's asleep.
I say, I know that you're there,
so don't be
sad.
then I put him back,
but he's singing a little
in there, I haven't quite let him
die
and we sleep together like
that
with our
secret pact
and it's nice enough to
make a man
weep, but I don't
weep, do
you?

This was published in Bukowski's book "The Last Night of the Earth Poems" circa 1992

Analysis (ai): Blue is a classic example of the autobiographical style that was common during the 1960s. It is a raw and honest work that doesn't shy away from complex and difficult subjects. Like the other works of the same author, it is also self-critical and a meditation on the struggles of the human soul.

Blue is a work that stands out from the works of the author's other works and is a significant contribution to the literature of the 1960s. It is a work that is an important and unique in its own way.

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Charles Bukowski Follow

The Crunch

too much
too little

too fat
too thin
or nobody.

laughter or
tears

haters
lovers

strangers with faces like
the backs of
thumb tacks

armies running through
streets of blood
waving winebottles
bayoneting and fucking
virgins.

or an old guy in a cheap room
with a photograph of M. Monroe.

there is a loneliness in this world so great
that you can see it in the slow movement of
the hands of a clock.

people so tired
mutilated
either by love or no love.

people just are not good to each other
one on one.

the rich are not good to the rich
the poor are not good to the poor.

we are afraid.

our educational system tells us
that we can all be
big-ass winners.

it hasn't told us
about the gutters
or the suicides.

or the terror of one person
aching in one place
alone

untouched
unspoken to

watering a plant.

people are not good to each other.
people are not good to each other.
people are not good to each other.

I suppose they never will be.
I don't ask them to be.

but sometimes I think about
it.

the beads will swing
the clouds will cloud
and the killer will behead the child
like taking a bite out of an ice cream cone.

too much
too little

too fat
too thin
or nobody

more haters than lovers.

people are not good to each other.
perhaps if they were
our deaths would not be so sad.

meanwhile I look at young girls
stems
flowers of chance.

there must be a way.

surely there must be a way we have not yet
thought of.

who put this brain inside of me?

it cries
it demands
it says that there is a chance.

it will not say
"no."

This poem was published in "Love is a Dog From Hell". © by owner. provided at no charge for educational purposes

Analysis (ai): This poem expresses the nihilistic view of society, criticizing the shortcomings of humanity and the futility of existence. It reflects Bukowski's characteristic themes of alienation, loneliness, and the search for meaning in a meaningless world.

Compared to his other works, this poem is more concise and less overtly cynical. It lacks the explicit references to alcohol, sex, and debauchery that are often found in his writing. Nevertheless, it retains his trademark bleak outlook on life and society.

The poem's structure is simple and repetitive, with a series of contrasting statements that emphasize the paradoxes and extremes of human existence. It moves from the personal to the political, capturing the despair and disillusionment of individuals and the world at large.

The language is straightforward and stripped-down, with no attempt at poetic embellishment. This austerity mirrors the harshness of the world it depicts, where there is no room for sentimentality or false hope.

The poem offers no easy solutions, but it does hint at the possibility of change. The final lines suggest that the pursuit of understanding and the search for connection may offer a glimmer of hope in the face of despair.

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Charles Bukowski Follow

Writing

often it is the only
thing
between you and
impossibility.
no drink,
no woman's love,
no wealth
can
match it.
nothing can save
you
except
writing.
it keeps the walls
from
failing.
the hordes from
closing in.
it blasts the
darkness.
writing is the
ultimate
psychiatrist,
the kindliest
god of all the
gods.
writing stalks
death.
it knows no
quit.
and writing
laughs
at itself,
at pain.
it is the last
expectation,
the last
explanation.
that's
what it
is.
from blank gun silencer - 1991

Analysis (ai): This poem captures the essence of writing as a solitary and transformative experience. It compares it to other forms of solace and fulfillment, such as drink, love, and wealth, but finds it superior. Writing is portrayed as a protective force, a defense against the chaos and despair of the outside world. It is the ultimate therapist, a divine entity that transcends pain and offers solace. The poem suggests that in a world of expectations and explanations, writing stands as a beacon of hope and a reminder of the power of human expression.

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Famous poet /0-1994 • Ranked #1 in the top 500 poets

Charles Bukowski

Bluebird

The Crunch

Writing

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