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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
A lot of mixed feelings towards bukowski. At times his feelings toward the world seem overly cynical, while other times incredibly relatable. Overall, there are portions I found were very disgusting and others extremely relatable.
Okay so, my review is gonna be bitter sweet. Yes, I literally fall in love with Bukowski at first. I have read all of the bad reviews for this book because I was so curious. SO YES i'm probably an arrogant french college student who "thinks it's so deep when it's just crap". I was thinking about giving 5 stars to this book when I was half way in...when the part 3 and 4 arrived. I'm still so in love with the poems in the first two part, there was something absolutely gorgeous in the topics and the writing. But the two last parts were just not good, or maybe just not as good. That's why this is just 4 stars and not 5. And because I was so transported by the first two parts, can't go under 4.
to be honest, i picked up this book because harry styles recommended it. i would tell people i’m reading bukowski and would often get strange looks and now that makes a lot more sense. there were some poems i really liked. i enjoyed the detailed, honest style of bukowksi’s writing, and there were some interesting commentary on sex, relationships, and writing. however, there were also a bunch of poems that were mediocre, and a few that were downright bad, especially for the attitudes towards women. and yes it took me an entire semester to finish a book of poetry so judge me if you wish.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think of poetry as if it were a spectrum of colours. In Bukowski's Love Is A Dog From Hell, two colours stand out: a vivid red, which might symbolise Bukowski's self-loathing, inner criticism, and addictions, while a dark grey might reflect his depressed views of himself and the world, including women.
Bukowski's unique talent lies in his ability to work with multiple layers of meaning within a single poem, deftly transitioning from daily, mundane themes to psychoanalytic revelations of his inner world. For example, in the given excerpt, Bukowski goes beyond simply describing an overcast day. Instead, he uses the concept of bad weather to illustrate his experiences with unemployment while parading his poverty before a group of working-class men:
The worst day
it was raining very hard I didn't have a raincoat so
I put on a very old coat I hadn't worn for months while they were working.
Bukowski's Love Is A Dog From Hell is not an easy read to digest. His poetry mirrors the fragmented parts of himself, disclosing the poet’s battle with mental illness and the controversial nature of his attitudes toward women and relationships. In my view, his writing was not intended to shock audiences but rather as a means of self-expression; perhaps, it became a channel for venting and reconciling his inner turmoil.
I wrote a poem summarising Bukowski's take on relationships and alcoholism:
Bukowski Love
I told her the truth.
It didn't work.
I guess she has a low tolerance for transparency.
I was downplaying my shady recovery when she broke down (just like my Beetle) and screamed that
I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR HER OR ANYBODY ELSE, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
She is a strong woman today.
Back then, with panda eyes, a red face and a broken heel.
It was when she twisted her ankle and broke her heel that I realised
She was seesawing her way out of my life.
So, I chased after her lopsided hips,
catching my breath I screamed back,
ALCOHOL IS NO LONGER RELEVANT.
After a few minutes of side stitch agony, she turned around,
threw me the look of death,
aimed at the heart
Thumped it with the damn heel.
The wound is still sour, just like my whiskey.
~ gissia
Bukowski's unique talent lies in his ability to work with multiple layers of meaning within a single poem, deftly transitioning from daily, mundane themes to psychoanalytic revelations of his inner world. For example, in the given excerpt, Bukowski goes beyond simply describing an overcast day. Instead, he uses the concept of bad weather to illustrate his experiences with unemployment while parading his poverty before a group of working-class men:
The worst day
it was raining very hard I didn't have a raincoat so
I put on a very old coat I hadn't worn for months while they were working.
Bukowski's Love Is A Dog From Hell is not an easy read to digest. His poetry mirrors the fragmented parts of himself, disclosing the poet’s battle with mental illness and the controversial nature of his attitudes toward women and relationships. In my view, his writing was not intended to shock audiences but rather as a means of self-expression; perhaps, it became a channel for venting and reconciling his inner turmoil.
I wrote a poem summarising Bukowski's take on relationships and alcoholism:
Bukowski Love
I told her the truth.
It didn't work.
I guess she has a low tolerance for transparency.
I was downplaying my shady recovery when she broke down (just like my Beetle) and screamed that
I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR HER OR ANYBODY ELSE, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
She is a strong woman today.
Back then, with panda eyes, a red face and a broken heel.
It was when she twisted her ankle and broke her heel that I realised
She was seesawing her way out of my life.
So, I chased after her lopsided hips,
catching my breath I screamed back,
ALCOHOL IS NO LONGER RELEVANT.
After a few minutes of side stitch agony, she turned around,
threw me the look of death,
aimed at the heart
Thumped it with the damn heel.
The wound is still sour, just like my whiskey.
~ gissia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Alcohol
favorite pieces in no-particular-order
- one for old snaggle-tooth
- quiet clean girls in gingham dresses
- 462-0614
- the crunch
- soul
- one for the shoeshine man
- one for old snaggle-tooth
- quiet clean girls in gingham dresses
- 462-0614
- the crunch
- soul
- one for the shoeshine man
Writing obscene stuff about young girls and "panties" and sex and gambling or, for ex.:
you shoot sperm like a
whale shoots water out of the
hole in its back
really isn't my thing. If it is your thing... what???
I really tried but all of these poems, even the best ones - i liked 'alone with everybody' and 'how to be a great writer' - fall short on the second reading. There is lack of depth in this. The only appeal I see is the appeal to the male gaze, male fantasies and etc..
The worst and more problematic one is 'girls in pantyhose', beggining with
I really tried but all of these poems, even the best ones - i liked 'alone with everybody' and 'how to be a great writer' - fall short on the second reading. There is lack of depth in this. The only appeal I see is the appeal to the male gaze, male fantasies and etc..
The worst and more problematic one is 'girls in pantyhose', beggining with
schoolgirls in pantyhose
sitting on bus stop benches
a few verses after
I drive by in my car
peering at their warm legs.
their eyes look
away-
ending with
it would be nice to
kiss each of them once, fully
then give them back.
but the bus will
get them first.
I really want to mark these words: the poem is not critical of this behavior, the poem is a mere narration of a fantasy or life-event of Bukowski as any other of his poems. There is no nuance - the poem is short and it's literally just this.
It's 100% disturbing... and sure, we gotta read disturbing minds at times - but let's not pretend these poems were actually thought-out (they literally weren't, he said it in interviews when explaining his method) and deep.
The "harshness" of it seems to be the only praise possible, and not a very good one; I gotta say, everyone could be harsh and talk about vomit and sperm and pedophilic attraction - really, everyone.
But yeah... most of this collection resumes to fantasies of a horny adult glamorizing alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling and life; with a touch of his shallow nihilistic life philosophy. The free verse and lack of capital letters gives it a "artsy" vibe but that's it. That's really just it.
It's 100% disturbing... and sure, we gotta read disturbing minds at times - but let's not pretend these poems were actually thought-out (they literally weren't, he said it in interviews when explaining his method) and deep.
The "harshness" of it seems to be the only praise possible, and not a very good one; I gotta say, everyone could be harsh and talk about vomit and sperm and pedophilic attraction - really, everyone.
But yeah... most of this collection resumes to fantasies of a horny adult glamorizing alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling and life; with a touch of his shallow nihilistic life philosophy. The free verse and lack of capital letters gives it a "artsy" vibe but that's it. That's really just it.
I hate Bukowski.
It’s a personal vendetta at this point. I just feel he’s the Rupi Kaur of the sad edgy boys.
It’s a personal vendetta at this point. I just feel he’s the Rupi Kaur of the sad edgy boys.