'An Almost Made Up Poem' by Charles Bukowski


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I see you drinking at a fountain with tiny

blue hands, no, your hands are not tiny

they are small, and the fountain is in France

where you wrote me that last letter and

I answered and never heard from you again.

you used to write insane poems about

ANGELS AND GOD, all in upper case, and you

knew famous artists and most of them

were your lovers, and I wrote back, it’ all right,

go ahead, enter their lives, I’ not jealous

because we’ never met. we got close once in

New Orleans, one half block, but never met, never

touched. so you went with the famous and wrote

about the famous, and, of course, what you found out

is that the famous are worried about

their fame –– not the beautiful young girl in bed

with them, who gives them that, and then awakens

in the morning to write upper case poems about

ANGELS AND GOD. we know God is dead, they’ told

us, but listening to you I wasn’ sure. maybe

it was the upper case. you were one of the

best female poets and I told the publishers,

editors, “ her, print her, she’ mad but she’

magic. there’ no lie in her fire.” I loved you

like a man loves a woman he never touches, only

writes to, keeps little photographs of. I would have

loved you more if I had sat in a small room rolling a

cigarette and listened to you piss in the bathroom,

but that didn’ happen. your letters got sadder.

your lovers betrayed you. kid, I wrote back, all

lovers betray. it didn’ help. you said

you had a crying bench and it was by a bridge and

the bridge was over a river and you sat on the crying

bench every night and wept for the lovers who had

hurt and forgotten you. I wrote back but never

heard again. a friend wrote me of your suicide

3 or 4 months after it happened. if I had met you

I would probably have been unfair to you or you

to me. it was best like this.

Editor 1 Interpretation

An Almost Made Up Poem: A Glimpse into Bukowski's World

"An Almost Made Up Poem" is a classic poem written by Charles Bukowski, one of the most influential poets and writers of the 20th century. Bukowski's work is known for its rawness, honesty, and brutal depiction of life, often drawing inspiration from his own experiences. In this poem, Bukowski takes us on a journey through his world, giving us a glimpse into his thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

The Poem

The poem opens with a simple and straightforward statement, "I see you drinking at a fountain with tiny blue hands." This line immediately draws the reader in and sets the tone for the rest of the poem. Bukowski's use of vivid imagery and striking detail creates a powerful and lasting impression.

The poem then takes us on a journey through Bukowski's world, as he observes the people and things around him. The poem is filled with vivid descriptions of everyday objects and scenes, such as "a broken teapot on the sill," "a bald man in a cheap room," and "an old woman with a smile like a razor." Through these descriptions, Bukowski paints a vivid picture of his world, a world that is both gritty and beautiful.

As the poem progresses, Bukowski's observations become more introspective, as he begins to reflect on his own life and experiences. He speaks of "the man who sold the world," a reference to David Bowie's famous song, and muses on the fleeting nature of life. He speaks of "the ghosts of all the women" he has loved and lost, and the regret he feels for not being able to hold onto them.

The poem ends with a powerful and haunting image, as Bukowski describes "the moon dripping like a bucket into the water." This image perfectly captures the sense of melancholy and longing that pervades the poem, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Analysis

"An Almost Made Up Poem" is a prime example of Bukowski's unique style of writing. His use of raw, unfiltered language and vivid imagery creates a powerful and memorable effect. However, there is more to this poem than just its powerful language and imagery.

At its core, this poem is a meditation on life, love, and loss. Bukowski's observations and reflections on the world around him are deeply personal and honest, and they speak to a universal human experience. The poem is filled with a sense of longing and regret, as Bukowski reflects on the things he has lost and the things he will never have.

One of the most striking things about this poem is Bukowski's use of imagery. He describes everyday objects and scenes in a way that is both familiar and haunting. For example, his description of "a broken teapot on the sill" is a simple image, but the way he describes it as "a reminder that at least the room was lived in" gives it a deeper meaning.

Similarly, his description of "the man who sold the world" is a reference to David Bowie's famous song, but Bukowski uses it in a way that is uniquely his own. He takes a familiar image and infuses it with his own sense of meaning and emotion.

The poem is also notable for its use of repetition. Throughout the poem, Bukowski repeats the phrase "I see you" several times, each time describing a different person or thing. This repetition creates a sense of unity and coherence throughout the poem, tying together the various observations and reflections.

One of the most powerful aspects of this poem is the way that it captures the sense of melancholy and longing that pervades Bukowski's work. His observations and reflections on life are often tinged with a sense of regret and sadness, as if he is aware of all the things he will never have.

Interpretation

"An Almost Made Up Poem" is a deeply personal and introspective poem, and as such, it can be interpreted in many different ways. At its core, however, the poem is a meditation on life, love, and loss, and it speaks to a universal human experience.

One interpretation of the poem is that it is a reflection on Bukowski's own life and experiences. The poem is filled with personal details and observations, and it is likely that Bukowski drew inspiration from his own life when writing it.

Another interpretation of the poem is that it is a commentary on the human condition. The poem speaks to the universal experience of longing and regret, and it captures the sense of melancholy that is often a part of the human experience.

Overall, "An Almost Made Up Poem" is a powerful and haunting work of poetry. Bukowski's use of raw language and vivid imagery creates a lasting impression, and the poem's reflections on life, love, and loss are deeply personal and universal. This is a poem that will stick with you long after you have finished reading it.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

An Almost Made Up Poem: A Masterpiece of Bukowski's Art

Charles Bukowski, the renowned American poet, novelist, and short-story writer, is known for his raw, unfiltered, and often controversial writing style. His poems are a reflection of his life experiences, his struggles with alcoholism, and his observations of the world around him. One of his most famous poems, "An Almost Made Up Poem," is a perfect example of Bukowski's unique style and his ability to capture the essence of human emotions.

The poem begins with the line, "I see you drinking at a fountain with tiny blue hands." This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a series of vivid images that are both surreal and haunting. The use of color in this line is particularly striking, as it creates a sense of otherworldliness and dreamlike quality. The image of the tiny blue hands is also intriguing, as it suggests a sense of fragility and vulnerability.

The second line of the poem, "no, your hands are not tiny, they are small, and the fountain is in France where you wrote me that last letter," adds a layer of complexity to the poem. The speaker is addressing someone directly, and the use of the second person creates a sense of intimacy and immediacy. The fact that the fountain is in France and that the person has written a letter to the speaker suggests that there is a history between them, and that the speaker is recalling a specific moment in time.

The poem then takes a darker turn with the line, "we passed under the railway bridge, you held onto me hard." This line suggests a sense of danger and fear, as if the speaker and the person they are addressing were in a dangerous situation. The use of the word "hard" also suggests a sense of desperation and urgency.

The next few lines of the poem are a series of surreal and vivid images that are both beautiful and unsettling. The line, "then you looked up at me with the tears in your eyes, and I took your head in my arms and held you," creates a sense of tenderness and compassion. However, the following line, "and that night in the hotel room when you wrote me a poem and it was about beauty and the moon, and how you loved me then," suggests a sense of longing and nostalgia.

The poem then takes a turn towards the absurd with the line, "I leaned against the hallway wall and sang into your phone while you showered." This line is both humorous and strange, as it creates a sense of intimacy and familiarity between the speaker and the person they are addressing. The use of the word "sang" also suggests a sense of playfulness and joy.

The final lines of the poem are a reflection on the nature of memory and the passage of time. The line, "it was like we were in a dream or a movie, nothing bad could happen," suggests a sense of nostalgia and longing for a time when things were simpler and easier. The final line of the poem, "and then you left me, and I didn't want to follow," is a powerful statement on the nature of loss and the difficulty of letting go.

Overall, "An Almost Made Up Poem" is a masterpiece of Bukowski's art. The poem is a perfect example of his ability to capture the essence of human emotions and experiences in a raw and unfiltered way. The use of vivid imagery, surrealism, and humor creates a sense of intimacy and immediacy that draws the reader in and leaves a lasting impression. The poem is a testament to Bukowski's talent as a poet and his ability to create works that are both beautiful and haunting.

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