Photograph of Bukowski on the cover of this 2018 anthology of his poetry published by Canondale PBS
(15) CHARLES BUKOWSKI (1920-1994)
Also known as Chuck Buk – a quip about his name that I read somewhere and have used ever since.
Charles Bukowski can be summed up by that meme of one of Bender’s best lines from Futurama (from the second episode at that) – I’ll write my own damn poetry, with blackjack and hookers!
Except as the line goes later in the episode – forget about the blackjack. And some might say the poetry.
Charles Bukowski shot poetry (and prose) straight from the hip, as well as the flophouse and the gutter – raw and wriggling to quote another meme (Gollum from The Lord of the Rings film trilogy).
And yet that rawness has a striking sharpness at times – with an undeniable knack for titles of anthologies too.
As for which Bukowski poem to pick for this entry, I’d go with the pack – about the dogs of hell that pursue the poet.
RATING:
B-TIER (HIGH TIER)