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meliandialogue's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
katelyn220's review
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
tyranosarahrex's review
the 12 hour night
I found myself in middle age
working a 12 hour night,
night after night,
year after year
and somehow there seemed to be
no way out.
I was drained, empty and so
were my co-workers.
we huddled together
under the whip,
under intolerable conditions,
and many of us were
fearful of being
fired
for there was nothing left
for us.
our bodies were worn,
our spirits whipped.
there was a sense
of unreality.
one becomes so tired one
becomes so dazed,
that there is confusion and
anguish mixed in with the
deadliness.
I think that, too,
kept some of us working there.
I wasted over a decade of
12 hour nights.
I can't explain why I
remained.
cowardice, probably.
then one night I stood up
and said,
"I'm finished, I'm leaving
this job now!"
"what? what? what?"
asked my comrades.
"do you know what the
hell you're doing?"
"where will you go?"
"come back!"
"you're crazy! what will
you do?"
I walked down the rows
of them, all those faces.
I walked down the aisle
past rows and rows of
them,
all the faces looking.
"he's crazy!"
then I was in the elevator
riding down.
first floor and out.
I walked into the street,
I walked along the street,
then I turned and looked
at the towering
building, four stories high,
I saw the lights in the
windows,
I felt the presence of
those 3,000 people
in there.
then I turned and walked away
into the night.
and my life was touched by
magic.
and it still
is.
I found myself in middle age
working a 12 hour night,
night after night,
year after year
and somehow there seemed to be
no way out.
I was drained, empty and so
were my co-workers.
we huddled together
under the whip,
under intolerable conditions,
and many of us were
fearful of being
fired
for there was nothing left
for us.
our bodies were worn,
our spirits whipped.
there was a sense
of unreality.
one becomes so tired one
becomes so dazed,
that there is confusion and
anguish mixed in with the
deadliness.
I think that, too,
kept some of us working there.
I wasted over a decade of
12 hour nights.
I can't explain why I
remained.
cowardice, probably.
then one night I stood up
and said,
"I'm finished, I'm leaving
this job now!"
"what? what? what?"
asked my comrades.
"do you know what the
hell you're doing?"
"where will you go?"
"come back!"
"you're crazy! what will
you do?"
I walked down the rows
of them, all those faces.
I walked down the aisle
past rows and rows of
them,
all the faces looking.
"he's crazy!"
then I was in the elevator
riding down.
first floor and out.
I walked into the street,
I walked along the street,
then I turned and looked
at the towering
building, four stories high,
I saw the lights in the
windows,
I felt the presence of
those 3,000 people
in there.
then I turned and walked away
into the night.
and my life was touched by
magic.
and it still
is.
ogreart's review
5.0
Bukowski is a powerful poet. His poems are stark and bleak. The best ending to be hoped for is the realization of contentment now and then. He is becoming one of my favorite poets.
davidjordan's review
5.0
There is nothing original anyone can say about Bukowski anymore. Let me put it this way, then: this collection of poems is even more fantastic than you already expect them to be. I don't think there was a single one of them that did not keep me thoroughly riveted from the first syllable to the last. What a phenomenal voice.
vickstar's review
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
littlebitofallthat's review
3.0
The juxtaposition of Bukowski's crudity and poetry's introspection is stark and compelling. His aggression and vulgarity do veer into uncomfortable and, at times, alarming territory on occasion, though this is hardly a critique as it is the strongest quality of his writing. Highlighting the tragedy of the mundane and appalling alike, we see and experience not only the visceral devastation of the human condition's pitfalls but also the hollow desolation undercutting it all.
With that being said, much of the work isn't to my own taste, though I can appreciate it for what it is, as well as walk away with a few favorites from this vast 400-page collection.
favorites:
"hunger", pgs. 58-60
"the crunch (2)", pgs. 312-314
honorable mentions/dogeared for later contemplation:
"some notes on Bach and Haydn", pgs. 73-75
"wind the clock", pg. 87
"lifedance", pg. 90
"everywhere, everywhere", pg. 94
"the angel who pushed his wheelchair", pgs. 108-110
"Christmas poem to a man in jail", pgs. 115-118
"hard times on Carlton Way", pgs. 184-185
"beast", pgs. 234-235
With that being said, much of the work isn't to my own taste, though I can appreciate it for what it is, as well as walk away with a few favorites from this vast 400-page collection.
favorites:
"hunger", pgs. 58-60
"the crunch (2)", pgs. 312-314
honorable mentions/dogeared for later contemplation:
"some notes on Bach and Haydn", pgs. 73-75
"wind the clock", pg. 87
"lifedance", pg. 90
"everywhere, everywhere", pg. 94
"the angel who pushed his wheelchair", pgs. 108-110
"Christmas poem to a man in jail", pgs. 115-118
"hard times on Carlton Way", pgs. 184-185
"beast", pgs. 234-235
bingedreaming's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0