Nice one ...have been a big Bukowski reader...novels..poems&general madness..since i was a teenager.He may not have written purple prose..but his stuff is as real,sad,funny&gritty..as anything out there..cant believe he lived into his 70s..can you..what a life eh.All the best......Davey
Hey Davey! My favorite Bukowski poem is, "The Shoelace". Unfortunately, I don't have any of his books right now so I can't post it. My favorite story is the one about the rich lady who goes to Africa and brings home a cannibal as a lover. I think he ends up eating her. I don't remember exactly. It's been awhile. It's all good, though 'cause it's all real! You can't find Bukowski where I am now. (North Carolina, in a very small town) When I used to go to New York all the time,(I bet you can guess why) I saw Bukowski books everywhere. They sell them on the sidewalks! New York loves a good barfly!!! I really got into Aurther Miller (Tropics of Cancer and so forth) I think that kind of paved the way for Bukowski with me.I like anything that makes me FEEL. I know you know what I mean. We're immune to so much sh** that we're amazed when we actually feel something real! I wish I could've got drunk with Bukowski, just once. I'm sure I would've busted his head or something, though. Ha! Ha!
Alright,..Shirely..cant remember "the shoelace"off the top of my head&i havnt got a fav.poem cos i like that many,but i deff. do recall the storey of the cannibal with the v.large member who the rich American lady brought back from the wild,Chinaski(Bukowski) gets offer $500 mag.article for an interview with the 2 of them...he ropes in an also alcoholic photographer..so they go round&only Mambo seems to be in ...playing his drum&drunk on wine.Mambo jus..plays his drum(well)an complains that Ruthie is just tireing him out with her sexual needs...o.k...next day they go back expectant(broke of course)&the photographer goes in the kitchen to get 2 beers&guess whats in the fridge...yep.So as in most Buzowski stuff you get the how did i fall this far...."what does a guy have to do to make a buck&live" angle which as addicts too booze or smack rings true..but hes got such a wicked humour...im ramblig now.At the mo.im rereading "love is a dog from hell"/poems 1974/1977,but whoever would call a book.."Play the piano drunk Like a percussion Instrument until the fingers begin to bleed a bit"he did.When on smack i hocked just a bout anything that had some value..for some reason the books stayed...Thank god....All the best...Davey
Hi ya' Davey, That's exactly the story I was thinking of. Evidently, you've retained some of your memory. I'm scatter-brained. I don't know if the smack caused it or I did the smack 'cause I was so darned scatter-brained. The old chicken or the egg thing. Ha!Ha! I had a large library but I moved around alot. When I moved here, I just had the clothes on my back. (and they were'nt mine.) I've got quite a collection up, though. If I did'nt have my books, I'd lose it. It's the one thing that always relaxes me. I love to lose myself in a good fantasy or science fiction. I'll read anything (just about),and enjoy it, though. peace, Shirley
