Writers Forum - WritingForums.com Home Rules FAQ Members Groups Calendar Gallery Search
» Sign Up «

Welcome to Writing Forums, one of the fastest growing writing communties on the web.

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions, articles and photo galleries. By joining our free community you will be able to talk with other writers, get feedback on your work to improve your writing skills, discuss ideas, share tips & tricks, network and make friends!

Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact support.
  Search Forums
Lit.Org - Bootcamp for writers. Post your work and other writers review it, it's that easy.

Advanced Search



Go Back   Writers Forum - WritingForums.com > Reading > Published Poetry
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Published Poetry Discussion of classic and contemporary verse or lyrics.

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 10-30-2007, 11:54 PM   #1
Addict
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 117
Buddy Glass is on a distinguished road
Charles Bukowski

People go nuts over Bukowski. They either love him to death or they can't abide him.

I like a lot of his poems. Sometimes I think he must have had flashes of inspiration in which he saw something others didn't and he managed to write down in his immitable style. Other times, however, I think he was just a drunken, primitive misogynist who was jealous of other writers.

Haven't read his stories or his novels yet. Saw an awful movie with Matt Dillon about him, though.

Your views?
Buddy Glass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2007, 03:27 AM   #2
Profound Writer
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,379
Truth-Teller is an unknown quantity at this point
Hate him.

Can't write.

Boring.
__________________
When you try to impress, instead of communicating the written word, you have already failed as a writer; and if you're writing to be loved, instead of loving to write, you should not be called on.
Truth-Teller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2007, 02:37 PM   #3
Prolific Writer
 
Frabes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Athens, Ohio, US
Gender: Male
Posts: 272
Frabes is on a distinguished road
I love Bukowski. Buddy Glass, I know the movie you're talking about, it's called "Factotum", based on the novel by the same name, which if I'm not mistaken was one of Bukowski's first novels. I agree the movie isn't good at all, but that's simply because Bukowski didn't write the kind of stories that make good movies.

He's definitely an acquired taste, true, but there's something about his spare, simple language that I really appreciate.

His poetry is also pretty much the only poetry I've ever really liked. That's probably because Bukowski was always first and foremost a short story writer who drifted into poetry, rather than the other way around. Because of that, his poetry tells a story, and flows more like prose.
__________________
A Kind of Truth
Frabes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2007, 03:04 PM   #4
Addict
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 117
Buddy Glass is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frabes View Post
I love Bukowski. Buddy Glass, I know the movie you're talking about, it's called "Factotum", based on the novel by the same name, which if I'm not mistaken was one of Bukowski's first novels. I agree the movie isn't good at all, but that's simply because Bukowski didn't write the kind of stories that make good movies.

He's definitely an acquired taste, true, but there's something about his spare, simple language that I really appreciate.

His poetry is also pretty much the only poetry I've ever really liked. That's probably because Bukowski was always first and foremost a short story writer who drifted into poetry, rather than the other way around. Because of that, his poetry tells a story, and flows more like prose.
Factotum, that's right. Not too good, but then novel adaptations rarely are.

No, I definitely see why Bukowski is so popular. His style, though heavily imitated, was quite different from anyone else's at the time. I like the simplicity of his short poems, those moments or flashes of insight:

Quote:
Miracle

I have just listened to this
symphony which Mozart dashed off
in one day
and it had enough wild and crazy
joy to last
forever,
whatever forever
is
Mozart came as close as
possible to
that.
Or this one:

Quote:
well, that's just the way it is...

sometimes when everything seems at
its worst
when all conspires
and gnaws
and the hours, days, weeks
years
seem wasted -
stretched there upon my bed
in the dark
looking up at the ceiling
I get what many will consider an
obnoxous thought:
it's still nice to be
Bukowski.
Buddy Glass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2007, 03:22 PM   #5
Prolific Writer
 
Frabes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Athens, Ohio, US
Gender: Male
Posts: 272
Frabes is on a distinguished road
My absolute favorite Bukowski poem.

Quote:
listening to Wagner
as outside in the dark the wind blows a cold rain the
trees wave and shake lights go
off and on the walls creak and the cats run under the
bed...

Wagner battles the agonies, he's emotional but
solid, he's the supreme fighter, a giant in a world of
pygmies, he takes it straight on through, he breaks
barriers
an
astonishing FORCE of sound as

everything here shakes
shivers
bends
blasts
in fierce gamble

yes, Wagner and the storm intermix with the wine as
nights like this run up my wrists and up into my head and
back down into the
gut

some men never
die
and some men never live

but we're all alive
tonight

Incidentally, there's a really good documentary about Bukowski called "Born into This". Really interesting, lots of insight. Actually what first turned me on to Bukowski.
__________________
A Kind of Truth
Frabes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2007, 12:12 PM   #6
Addict
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 117
Buddy Glass is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frabes View Post
My absolute favorite Bukowski poem.




Incidentally, there's a really good documentary about Bukowski called "Born into This". Really interesting, lots of insight. Actually what first turned me on to Bukowski.
That's a great one, too. I have it in my You Get So Alone collection.
Buddy Glass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2007, 06:01 PM   #7
Profound Writer
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,379
Truth-Teller is an unknown quantity at this point
I can see why he would gravitate towards poetry, now.

He couldn't write a cohesive story, even if he tried.

Horrible fiction writer.
__________________
When you try to impress, instead of communicating the written word, you have already failed as a writer; and if you're writing to be loved, instead of loving to write, you should not be called on.
Truth-Teller is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:40 AM.
Powered by vBulletin, Copyright ©2000-2007, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.1.0


 
You are NOT Logged In.
User Name:

Password



Newsletter

Subscribe to Majestic
the official newsletter of Writing Forums and lit.org
Email:


Related Links

Link to Us:
Writing Forums - Discussions for Writers