BUKOWSKI – BORN INTO THIS 1920-1994
I watched the DVD last night. Remarkable. Hard drinking, party animal, jagged poet, damaged goods. All this, and still a power, a prime mover, a voice in the wilderness crying “Bullshit!”
These words were spoken: so full, strong, that I paused for each stanza, and wrote them down. Here it is: THE GENIUS OF THE CROWD
there is enough treachery, hatred violence absurdity in the average
human being to supply any given army on any given day
and the best at murder are those who preach against it
and the best at hate are those who preach love
and the best at war finally are those who preach peace
those who preach god, need god
those who preach peace do not have peace
those who preach peace do not have love
beware the preachers
beware the knowers
beware those who are always reading books
beware those who either detest poverty
or are proud of it
beware those quick to praise
for they need praise in return
beware those who are quick to censor
they are afraid of what they do not know
beware those who seek constant crowds for
they are nothing alone
beware the average man the average woman
beware their love, their love is average
seeks average
but there is genius in their hatred
there is enough genius in their hatred to kill you
to kill anybody
not wanting solitude
not understanding solitude
they will attempt to destroy anything
that differs from their own
not being able to create art
they will not understand art
they will consider their failure as creators
only as a failure of the world
not being able to love fully
they will believe your love incomplete
and then they will hate you
and their hatred will be perfect
like a shining diamond
like a knife
like a mountain
like a tiger
like hemlock
their finest art
These words struck me also:
When the spirit wanes, the form appears.
Both these poems show more insight than I have words.
6 comments:
udonman:
my post on my blog have nowhere nere the quality or depth so i am not going to post on my blog for a little while
No.
Don't stop.
This isn't something someone is born with. It's something that's developed. Practice makes perfect, whether it's MA, or blogging, or anything in life.
In short, I wasn't born this way. It took work. & tenacity. & lots & lots of reading, thinking, & (guess what?) practice.
In short: keep doing.
"What a man is begins to betray itself when he stops doing. Doing is a talent, talent is a finery, & finery too, is a hiding place." - Nietsche.
I read that on a bathroom wall in a bar in Chico. Never forgot it.
Udonman, I'll second Reluctant's advice.
By the way, Relucty,
I, too, have just reproduced a Bukowski poem on my site.
Mine's a mite more vulgar,
but they seem to almost be companion pieces.
HMDK:
Aye, they are indeed.
RA
Excellent.
As I told HMDK, I must check this Bukowski guy out.
but..."Beware those who are always reading books" ?!?!?!
Uh-oh...
k. ;)
karen:
I just watched 'Bukowski: Born into this'. I read 1 of his books, 'Erections, Ejaculations, and other forms of ordinary madness'.
I think his poetry's great, but his short stories, which are also fantastic, should have a disclaimer on them, 'Not for the easily offended'.
I wonder if he's on any of the libraries' censored lists?
He's a wild man, to be sure.
RA
With a title like "Erections, Ejaculations,..." I'm sure MY local library won't offer it!
I was looking at some of his artwork on the link to him on HMDK's site. It's primitive and child-like, but some is quite good. There are a few pieces I wouldn't mind having framed and on my walls.
Post a Comment