The Laughing Heart from Nicola De Prato on Vimeo.
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“The Laughing Heart,” is one of Charles Bukowski’s most famous poems. It is an ode to survival and living by your own values.
The short film above, directed by Nicola De Prato, also shows how powerful it can be as the soundtrack to a cinematic experience.
“‘The Laughing Heart’ is a visual/short film that narrates how light and darkness are constantly present in everyone’s life, represented by six characters who live this conflict,” De Prato told Bukowski Quotes by email.
The full poem follows.
“The Laughing Heart” by Charles Bukowski, found in Betting on the Muse
your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.
Also of note: Watch musician, singer, songwriter, and Charles Bukowski fan Tom Waits read the poem in the video below.
