“Poetry,” Charles Bukowski Poem

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A Charles Bukowski poem about poetry. The poem “poetry” is published in the book The Last Night of the Earth Poems.

This might be placed under the category of “writer’s block, so writing about writing” poems. Bukowski wrote a number of these, which is perhaps to be expected from a writer as prolific as him. Bukowski needed writing. He wrote most days, and said he felt bad if he didn’t write for too many days in a row. So sometimes you end up with a poem like “poetry,” which aren’t always great works but in this case works quite well.

This poem is also reminiscent of his poem “Friendly Advice to a Lot of Young Men,” which discourages going into the poetry game.

poetry, by Charles Bukowski
it
takes
a lot of

desperation

dissatisfaction

and
disillusionment

to
write

a
few
good
poems.

it’s not
for
everybody

either to

write
it

or even to
read
it.