For Opera’s Sake
Poets find inspiration in
music
I do,
not opera
or classical,
Whitman did.
Likewise Nazim Hikmet,
Dickenson, Bishop, Doty,
and the barstool bard,
Charles Bukowski
who wrote,
“To The Whore Who
Took My Poems,” and
said, “opera sickened me.”
A romantic, Hank was,
by some accounting,
a perv, drunk, dreamer,
a dirty old man
and misogynist
(he claimed not)—a lover
of women and classical
music.
Buk’s been saluted by
diversity like
U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers,
Nirvana, Bush, the Cars,
and Concrete Blonde.
I’ve been
accused
of being mused by
Bukowski
and his oeuvre.
Look both ways for the sin of admiring the imperfect,
the toil of the briar patch, the desire for love and passion.
Mind the gaps lest we stumble into the First Self-righteous Church.
This is the poem, “To The Whore Who Took My Poems” … done operatically (a bit risqué). My apologies if this youtube does not work for you.
Our Literary Journey 
While you may have been mused by Buk… you are definitely your own man. Love what you did here!
I’m still musing if I want to dip my toes back into this pond or simply write something completely outside of any challenges.
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For me, it’s often like washing clothes. I start a load and toss in the prompt as an afterthought. 🙂 Well, sort of…
I don’t have the chops and can’t stay dark like Bukowski, but there is something there. 🙂 It’s not just me and it’s not only men.
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I like that approach. And it works for you.
I sometimes have a super clear idea of what I want to write and then something happens and I go way off path. No control whatsoever!
Why do you say you don’t have the chops, eh? And nothing wrong with NOT staying completely dark.
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He was from a different time and, in many ways, a different world. I had a difficult time writing about me, especially in a confessional way. Reading Buk helped me get over it.
As far as the chops comment, I am often conflicted by politeness, political correctness, and telling what I see as the truth. Hard to explain. 🙂
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Well then, it’s a good thing you got into Bukowski, I say. Coz you do a mighty fine job of it now.
I get it. Plus we censor ourselves to a certain extent…
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Yeppers. 🙂
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A man of many parts, possibly loved and despised in equal measure. Nicely done Bill. I have no idea what I shall be doing with this!
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Thanks, Peter. I really liked this line of yours, “A man of many parts, possibly loved and despised in equal measure.” 🙂
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Yes, Bukowski was a character! I agree with Peter’s comment about him! His lovers did inspire his work after all! Plus he really should have made copies 😀 I enjoyed this little tale, and the song you shared 🙂 I like the assonance in the last line especially.
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Thanks. Glad you liked it, Sunra. 🙂
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My muse is more Beethoven than Bukowski, he was a bit of a womaniser but hey, why not!
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He wrote the book on it, Keith. Literally. If your taste is to classical, then y’all share that. 🙂
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Wonder what he’d have made of this treatment? Very entertaining.
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Thank you.
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He is a fantastic muse to have – I love listening to his poetry readings on YouTube!
❤
David
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Thank you, David.
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