Critical Essay

Bukowski’s writing is something to marvel at. When one first reads a few of his poems, they wonder how he is able to get away with writing all the vulgar things he writes, or how was his work even published. After reading more, they learn to tolerate the content and become more situated with Bukowski’s persona. Eventually, people finally relate and appreciate Bukowski’s work as literature. But one cannot help but wonder how Bukowski was able to pull off his writing, what made his work be what it is now. The works of Charles Bukowski are heavily influenced by Bukowski’s past and daily life, and in the beginning were able to be accepted as literature because of the ongoing Beat Generation.

Much of Bukowski’s work is uncensored, with the occasional foul language and vulgar images. It is not afraid to hide the ugly side of American life—full of homeless, jobless drunks and whores. It unveils what we tend to push away and forget. But Bukowski does not write to expose this ugly side, instead he writes about his life. His own ugly life. Bukowski’s youth was not a pleasant time, for he lived in an abusive household and by his college age, found himself in a lot of trouble. Much of his life is reflected in his poetry, as he is not afraid to be personal or share stories about drunken fights or whores. (In one of his poems, the title is his house phone number). The consumption of alcohol and use of tobacco are never hidden from the reader, as the one thing that kept Bukowski alive was alcohol.  Bukowski is not shy to write about his relationships, as when his first serious romantic attachment Jane Cooney Baker died, Bukowski dedicated his early poetry to her.

It has been debated whether or not Bukowski fit in the Beat Generation category, as his literature does follow the aspects of free ideas. Yet, his work is not something that desires to be different or be anything life changing, Bukowski writes because he feels like it. Whatever he wants to for that matter, and he is not afraid to ‘fudge’ things; he tells things straight. As Jack Conroy put it, “He cannot be classified or yoked with any other poet, living or dead”(CLC 9).

Although it may not seem like it, Bukowski’s literature has its own unclassifiable style. Bukowski uses simple words to convey his messages, but regardless his passages still have depth to them. Unlike most poetry, his poetry is not able to support itself out of context, meaning, one cannot simply quote one fragment of a piece and receive the entire message. R. R. Cuscaden explains that “Compared to the work of most of his contemporaries his poetry relies on image and its emotional connotations much more than on the idea and its rational concomitants.” (CLC 41).

However, because Bukowski’s work was so different compared to other contemporary poetry of the time, his work was categorized with other Beat poetry and became popular because of the sensation. Before Bukowski became published with Black Sparrow Press, he would write for underground literary magazines, where most Beat poetry would flourish. If it was not for his association with this crowd, Bukowski would of never of met John Martin, the head publisher of Black Sparrow Press, and would never of become as famous as he is now.

            Regardless if people attempt to place a label on him, Bukowski’s work is undoubtedly incomparable to other great writer. He is able to take the hardships of his life and work them into shockingly humorous and impacting poetry. He becomes personal with his readers, and creates life long fans who would do anything to share a drink with him.