This week I will be doing a two-hour biographical piece at the college on the quintessential counterculter icon, and outsider to the poetry world, Charles Bukowski. There are a lot of reasons why I chose Bukowski, not the least of which is his frankness in expressing the truth. I will not be reading his poetry, but will make use of videos and recording of Bukowski and others talking about and reading his poetry. I will only read a bio poem.
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Class Outline
1. Charles Bukowski Bio Poem
2. YouTube — Bukowski: Poetry & Motion
3. DVD Poem: The Man at the Piano
4. DVD Chapter 2
5. DVD Chapter 5
6. Tom Waits: Flowers Grave
7. DVD Poem: The Shoelace
8. Tom Russell: Old America
9. Tom Russell: Hotwalker 3:08
10. Tom Russell: Bukowski #1
11. Tom Russell: Bukowski #2
12. Tom Russell: Bukowski #3
13. Tom Russell: Requiem
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Charles Bukowski Bio Poem
yes,
there was a Charles Bukowski
German American
writing about down and outs
skid row
alcohol
relationships with women
hated ordinary work
loved horseracing
sad eyes
weary voice
a poet-recluse
raised catholic
verbally and physically abused
shy, alienated
extreme case of acne
boils the size of tomatoes
who will save me
“answers
out of reach,
out of mind”
after high school
attended Los Angeles City College
art,
journalism
literature
flirted with the far right
grew bored
failed a physical and
psychological exam
classified 4-f
“on a Santa Monica Monday”
first story published
at 24
grew disillusioned
quit writing
he was lost
“on the sidewalk
and in the sun”
ten year drunk
bleeding ulcer
nearly died
begin to write poetry
first wife
small town Texas poet
decapitated in India
religious zealots
obscure cult
traumatized by Jane’s death
resulting in a powerful series of poems
“I hold fast to me,
that’s all there is.”
series of muses
a daughter
ten years at the post office
wrote a column
notes of a dirty old man
quite the post office
decided to starve
full time writer
a loner
unable to live alone
“because I’ve got
a pocket full of dreams…”
move to San Pedro
married Linda
referred to as Sara
died at 73
in many ways
Bukowski’s writings
are those of a taboo
male fantasy
“they say that
nothing is wasted
either that
or
it all is.”
kenne
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