Sunday, August 16, 2020

Charles Bukowski: The Laughing Heart

Charles Bukowski
American-German Poet
(August 16, 1920 — March 9, 1994)

In honor of the poet Charles Bukowski, who was born one hundred years ago today, I would like to share one of my favorite poems:

The Laughing Heart
 by Charles Bukowski

                                       your life is your life
                                       don't let it be clubbed into dank submission.
                                       be on the watch.
                                       there are ways out.
                                       there is light somewhere.
                                       it may not be much light but
                                       it beats the darkness.
                                       be on the watch.
                                       the gods will offer you chances.
                                       know them.
                                       take them.
                                       you can't beat death but
                                       you can beat death in life, sometimes.
                                       and the more often you learn to do it,
                                       the more light there will be.
                                       your life is your life.
                                       know it while you have it.
                                       you are marvelous
                                       the gods wait to delight
                                       in you.


4 comments:

  1. Thank you George, for reminding me to read more Bukowski!

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    1. Thanks, Dominic. Delighted that you have found something in Bukowski's poetry that resonates with you.

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  2. It's a great poem, inspiring. I'm linking to it in my blog about a bookshop in Poland. I hope all is well with you and yours.

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  3. Thanks for getting back to me George, on my blog. I was really pleased to read this poem again when I was working on the Bookowski bookshop blog, it was a good synchronicity, and an uplifting poem too. I'm sorry to hear of your wife's ill health. Sending all the best from this autumnal island and hopefully you will find time to blog again one of those days. Uplifting things are always good to turn too, and your blog is certainly that.

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