Post: #1

I've seen his named batted around the forums. For those who have never read him, you should. The guy led an amazing life and his poems really capture the essence of what it means to be a red pill guy living in the 20th century. There's a bittersweet sadness in his writing, with some poems reflecting a lot of misery, ennui, and downright tragedy. But other poems jump in the other direction and relate his moments of victory and glory (usually doing a bunch of pills, getting wasted, and casually fucking some married chick with a big ass he met at the horse races) The bulk of his work was written from the 50s-70s, so it's a good reflection of what it was like to be a broke average Joe at that time who had an unquenchable thirst for alcohol, degenerate behavior, and fucking plenty of women.

Here's a classic:

a 340 dollar horse and a hundred dollar whore

don't ever get the idea I am a poet; you can see me
at the racetrack any day half drunk
betting quarters, sidewheelers, and straight thoroughs,
but let me tell you, there are some women there
who go where the money goes, and sometimes when you
look at these whores these onehundreddollar whores
you wonder sometimes if nature isn't playing a joke
dealing out so much breast and ass and the way
it's all hung together, you look and you look and
you look and you can't believe it; there are ordinary women
and then there is something else that wants to make you
tear up paintings and break albums of Beethoven
across the back of the john; anyhow, the season
was dragging and the big boys were getting busted,
all the non-pros, the producers, the cameramen,
the pushers of Mary, the fur salesmen, the owners
themselves, and Saint Louie was running this day:
a sidewheeler that broke when he got in close;
he ran with his head down and was mean and ugly
and 35 to 1, and I put a ten down on him.
the driver broke him wide
took him out by the fence where he'd be alone
even if he had to travel four times as far,
and that's the way he went it
all the way by the outer fence
traveling two miles in one
and he won like he was mad as hell
and he wasn't even tired,
and the biggest blonde of all
all ass and breast, hardly anything else
went to the payoff window with me.

that night I couldn't destroy her
although the springs shot sparks
and they pounded on the walls.
later she sat there in her slip
drinking Old Grandad
and she said
what's a guy like you doing
living in a dump like this?

and I said
I'm a poet

and she threw back her beautiful head and laughed.

you? you . . . a poet?

I guess you're right, I said, I guess you're right.

but still she looked good to me, she still looked good,
and all thanks to an ugly horse
who wrote this poem.

Post: #2

Bukowski IS the man, and while he did get laid, he came from a place of anger most of the time. I think unlike some gentlemen who are living a life of happiness through sex, to him it was a constant validation of his early failures with women.

Post: #3

I read all his books in my early 20s. Very depressing stuff but has a lot of heart. I remember reading Women and being happy for him since he was finally getting laid off of his burgeoning fame.

Post: #4

Ham On Rye is one of my favourites. His prose is mostly harsh and often bitter, but the style and message is amazing

Post: #5

My favorite author/poet.....disagree on some of the above assessments....to me the man was the most honest, real author I have read....didnt cave to any societal pressures.......lived his life on his terms, worked his ass off on his writing, made it on his own.... while slaving away 12 years in a post office. Never stopped producing work, his wife linda finally stopped publishing his poems a couple of years ago....(he died in 94) all the while he still lived his life close to the flame. His grave marker says it all..... "DONT TRY"

(12-20-2012 07:07 AM)damngringo Wrote:  Ham On Rye is one of my favourites. His prose is mostly harsh and often bitter, but the style and message is amazing

Post: #6

This guy is my literary hero.

He led a boring a dull life until one day he said "FUCK THIS SHIT" and started writing, getting drunk, and doing pretty much as he pleased. Thats the life one should have when you are given only one.

Post: #7

Bukowski going ape when his fiancee brings up fucking other men.

By the way, would someone with Buk knowledge be kind enough to clear something up: For years I've been debating people about Post Office. No one else will believe it, but I am convinced there is a passage where he describes raping a woman while on his rounds. True or false?

Post: #8

I have read in several places that the Hank Moody character in Californication is inspired by Bukowski. Obviously there are huge differences but Moody is at least Bukowskiesque.

If you haven't watched Californication, by the way, you're missing out. Brilliant show.

Post: #9

I think every guy needs to at least read one of his books. It feels like manliness in writing. His books are also easy to read with short to the point sentences.

I started with Women.