>> WHAT?

>> I'M A POET.

>> A WHAT?

>> A POET.

P O E T.

>> YOU ARE THE POET?

>> MA'AM, I AM THE POET.

>> WHAT KIND?

>> MODERN.

YOU'VE BEEN HERE MUCH?

>> I AM HERE ON THE TIME.

>> DOWN ON NORMANDY?

IT IS A DIFFERENT TOWN.

>> I GUESS SO.

>> MODERN POEMS?

>> MY NAME IS BUKOWSKI.

BUY MY BOOK.

BUK RHYMES WITH PUKE.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CHARLES BUKOWSKI.

[APPLAUSE] >> THIS IS CHARLES BUKOWSKI.

[LAUGHTER] LET ME SIT HERE AND DRINK BEER.

YOU WANT SOME POEMS?

BEG ME.

AMPLITUDE, DO YOU HEAR ME?

ALL RIGHT.

I LOOK GOOD?

THAT'S BETTER.

OK.

LET'S GET STARTED.

WHAT THE HELL.

LET'S COLLECT THEIR MONEY AND GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE.

NUMBER ONE, THE RAT.

WITH ONE PUNCH AT THE AGE OF 16.5 I KNOCKED OUT MY FATHER A CREOLE BASTARD WITH BAD BREATH I DID NOT GO HOME FOR SOME TIME ONLY NOW AND THEN TO TRY TO GET A DOLLAR FROM DEAR MOM IT WAS 1937 IN LOS ANGELES I RAN WITH THESE OLDER GUYS FOR THEM IT WAS THE SAME MOSTLY BREATHING HARD AIR AND ROBBING GAS STATIONS THAT DID NOT HAVE ANY MONEY A FEW LUCKY AMONG US WORKED HARD TIME AS WESTERN UNION MESSENGER BOYS.

WE SLEPT IN RENTED ROOMS THAT WERE NOT RENTED WE DRANK ALE AND WINE WITH THE SHADES DOWN THEN A WAKENING THE WHOLE BUILDING WITH A WRIST FIGHT BREAKING CHAIRS WE RAN DOWN THE STAIRWAY BEFORE THE POLICE ARRIVED.

SOLDIERS OF THE FUTURE RUNNING THROUGH THOSE EMPTY STARTING STREETS AND ALLEYS OF LOS ANGELES ALL OF US GETTING TOGETHER LATER IN PETE'S ROOM, A SMALL CUBIC SPACE UNDER A STAIRWAY THERE WE WERE PACKED IN THERE WITHOUT WOMEN WITHOUT CIGARETTES WITHOUT ANYTHING TO DRINK WHILE THE RICH POLLITT AWAY AT THEIR MANY CHOICES THE SAME GIRLS THAT SPENT AT OUR SHADOWS AS WE WALKED PAST IT WAS A HELL OF A VIENNA THREE OF US UNDER THAT STAIRWAY WERE KILLED IN WORLD WAR II ANOTHER ONE IS NOW THE MANAGER OF A MATTRESS FACTORY ME, I'M 30 YEARS OLDER THE TOWN IS FOUR OR FIVE TIMES AS BIG, BUT JUST AS ROTTEN AND THE GIRLS STILL SPIT ON MY SHADOW.

ANOTHER WAR FOR ANOTHER REASON I CAN HARDLY GET A JOB NOW FOR THE SAME REASON I COULD NOT THEN I DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING I CANNOT DO ANYTHING SEX, JUST THE OLD ONES KNOCK ON MY DOOR AFTER MIDNIGHT I CANNOT SLEEP AND I SEE THE LIGHTS AND ARE CURIOUS THE OLD ONES, THEIR HUSBANDS NO LONGER WANT THEM THEIR CHILDREN ARE GONE THEY SHOW ME ENOUGH GOOD LEG THE LEGS GO LAST I GO TO BED WITH THEM THE WOMEN SPOKE THEIR CIGARETTES AS THEY TALK, TALK, TALK WE GO TO BED AGAIN AND I BRING THEM LOVE AND THEY FEEL GOOD AND TALK UNTIL THE SUN COMES UP THEN WE SLEEP IT'S A HELL OF A PARIS [APPLAUSE] NOW LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I WILL SAY POSTAL CLERK, A CARRIER.

UP AND AROUND.

I KNOW THIS TOWN.

I CARRIED AROUND THE E-MAIL ON THE STREET HALF A DOZEN TIMES.

YEAH.

I PROBABLY CARRIED THIS STREET RIGHT HERE.

I KNOW THE TOWN.

>> FOR HOW LONG?

>> I ONLY CARRIED THREE OR FOUR YEARS.

I WAS A CLERK AT THE REST OF THE TIME.

YOU LEARN THE NUMBERS.

YOU GET THE STINK OF L.A.

IN YOUR BONES.

YOU KNOW IT.

IF I WENT TO ANY OTHER TOWN, I COULD NOT WRITE.

I WAS A HARD PIG.

I WORKED ALL NIGHT, 11 YEARS LURKING.

THEN I WOULD WRITE.

DRINKING AND WRITING AND THEN I WOULD GO TO WORK VERY SAME THING, DRINK AND WRITE.

FINALLY, I HAD TO QUIT.

YOU KNOW WHY?

I COULD NOT LIFT MY ARMS ANYMORE.

THEY WOULD NOT LIFT UP AFTER A NIGHT'S WORK.

I SAID THAT I HAD EITHER GOT TO GET OUT OF THERE OR DIE.

I GOT LUCKY.

I GOT A $25 CHECK.

25 -- UNDERGROUND NEWSPAPERS.

I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG IT IS GOING TO LAST.

IT IS MORE REAL THAN WHAT I WAS DOING.

IT IS MY TIME.

THE GODS HAVE BEEN GOOD TO ME.

KEPT ME WHERE I BELONG.

KEPT ME WHERE I BELONG.

NOT TOO MUCH.

JUST RIGHT.

I CAN WALK DOWN THE STREET AND NOBODY KNOWS ME.

EXCEPT TO THE GUYS IN THE LIQUOR STORE THAT READ SOMETHING IN THE "L.A.

TIMES."

I GO IN TO BUY SOME BEER.

HE SAYS WINGS OF SONG.

HE KNOWS ME.

EVERYBODY ELSE, THEY DO NOT KNOW ME.

IT IS GOOD.

ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN DYING IN THE TREES I SAID WHAT?

I SAID, LOOK THEY WERE HANGING IN THE TREES DEAD AND DYING I SAID, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

HE SAID THAT I DO NOT KNOW IT IS AUTHORIZED THE NEXT DAY, THEY HAD DOGS IN THE TREES DYING WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

HE SAID DO NOT WORRY IT IS THE WAY OF THINGS IT IS DECIDED THE NEXT DAY IT WAS CATS THE NEXT DAY IT WAS HORSES THAT WAS NOT SO GOOD BECAUSE MANY BRANCHES BROKE BRANCHES BROKE [LAUGHTER] AND AFTER BACON AND EGGS THE NEXT DAY, MY FRIEND PAUL HIS PISTOL ON ME ACROSS THE COFFEE AND SAID, LET'S GO WE WENT ALL -- OUTSIDE AND THERE WERE ALL THESE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE TREES MOST OF THEM DEAD AND DYING HE GOT THE ROPE READY I SAID WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

HE SAID THAT IT IS AUTHORIZED, CONSTITUTIONAL, IT PASSED THE MAJORITY I DO NOT KNOW WHO IS GOING TO HANG ME WHEN I GET DONE WITH YOU I SUPPOSE WHEN THEY LOOK DOWN, THERE WILL ONLY BE ONE LEFT AND HE WILL HAVE TO HANG HIMSELF SUPPOSE HE DOESN'T?

HE HAVE TO, IT IS AUTHORIZED I SAID, LET'S GET ON WITH IT [APPLAUSE] SOMEDAY PEOPLE WILL REALIZE THAT L.A.

IS THE PLACE YOU CAN'T BEAT L.A.

IN CHICAGO, I WOULD BE DEAD IN THREE DAYS.

THIS IS A TOWN WHERE YOU CAN HUSTLE.

YOU CAN LAY ON SOME GUY'S RUG FOR FOUR OR FIVE DAYS.

IT IS A FEELING OF PURITY.

PEOPLE HERE ARE KIND OF OPEN.

LIKE IN NEW YORK, THEY GET DOWN TO YOUR LAST DIME AND THEY ARE GOING TO STOMP YOUR HEAD IN.

IT IS AN OLDER CULTURE.

THEY DO THOSE THINGS.

L.A.

IS A WONDERFUL TOWN.

IT IS.

I LIKED THE WAY THE STREET LIGHTS SHINE.

I LIKE SUNSET BOULEVARD.

I FEEL GOOD.

I LIKE THIS TOWN.

COME ON, GO.

WHAT ARE YOU SITTING THERE FOR?

SON OF A -- GO TO CHICAGO.

YOU SEE THAT?

YOU LOOK AT THE HOTEL AND IT SAYS HOT HELL.

LIVE NEWS.

LET'S GO, FELLAS.

LET'S SHOOT HIM.

LET'S KEEP QUIET.

>> IS THIS GOOD STUFF?

>> AS GOOD AS YOU CAN GET IN HOLLYWOOD.

KING SIZED BOX, $1.89.

FRENCH FRIES, COLESLAW.

MAN MOWING THE LAWN ACROSS THE WAY FROM ME I WATCH YOU WALKING WITH YOUR MACHINE YOU ARE TOO STUPID TO BE CUT DOWN YOU ARE TOO STUPIDTO LET ANYTHING ENTER YOU THE GIRLS CANNOT USE THEIR KNIVES ON YOU THEY DO NOT WANT TO ALL OF THEIR SHARPNESS IS WASTED ON YOU YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BASEBALL AND WESTERN MOVIES AND CRAB LEGS CAN'T YOU JUST TAKE ONE OF MY KNIVES?

HERE IS AN OLD ONE STUCK INTO ME IN 1955 SHE IS DEAD NOW IT WOULD NOT HURT MUCH I CANNOT GIVE YOU THIS LAST ONE I CANNOT PULL IT OUT YET HERE IS ONE FROM 1964 HOW ABOUT TAKING THIS 1964 ONE FROM ME?

MAN MOWING THE LAWN ACROSS FROM ME, DON'T YOU HAVE A HOLE IN YOUR GUT FROM WHERE IT LEFT YOU DON'T YOU HAVE A KNIFE IN YOUR HEART FROM WHERE LOVE LEFT YOU?

MAN MOWING THE LAWN ACROSS THE WAY FROM ME, DON'T YOU SEE THE YOUNG GIRLS WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK WITH THE KNIVES IN THEIR PURSES?

DON'T YOU SEE THEIR BEAUTIFUL ASSES AND KNEES AND ANKLES AND EYES AND MOTIONS MAN MOWING THE LAWN ACROSS THE WAY FROM ME, IS THAT ALL YOU SEE, THOSE GRASS BLADES?

IS THAT ALL YOU HEAR?

THE CHURNING OF THE MOWER?

I CAN SEE ALL THE WAY TO ITALY, JAPAN, HONDURAS I CAN SEE THE YOUNG GIRLS SHARPENING THEIR KNIVES IN THE MORNING AND AT NOON AND AT NIGHT AND ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT OH, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT I HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH MY WOMEN.

THEY READ MY POETRY.

CALL THEM THAT.

THEN YOU GET IN BED WITH THEM AND YOU TALK WITH THEM AND YOU LIVE WITH THEM FOR FOUR OR FIVE DAYS.

THEY SAY THESE GRAND STATEMENTS.

YOU MARCH ACROSS THE ROOM AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SAY, THIS HAS 12 WINGS LIKE THE ANGEL OF HELL.

PEOPLE AREN'T BUILT THAT WAY, YOU SAY.

HEY, BABY, WHY DON'T YOU MAKE ME A CUP OF COFFEE?

THAT IS VERY POETIC.

THEY READ YOUR POETRY AND THEY EXPECT YOU TO MARCH AROUND WITH SAYINGS COMING OUT OF YEAR ASS AND EARS.

HUMAN NATURE IS NOT LIKE THAT.

YOU SAVE YOUR BALL AND YOUR JUICE FOR THAT TYPEWRITER.

STYLE STYLE IS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING A FRESH WAY TO APPROACH A DULL OR DANGEROUS THING TO DO A DULL THING WITH STYLE IS PREFERABLE TO DOING A DANGEROUS THING WITHOUT IT TO DO A DANGEROUS THING WITH STYLE IS WHAT I CALL ART BULL FIGHTING CAN BE AN ART BOXING CAN BE AN ART LOVING CAN BE AN ART OPENING A CAN OF SARDINES CAN BE AN ART NOT MANY HAVE STYLE NOT MANY CAN KEEP STYLE I HAVE SEEN DOGS WITH MORE STYLE THAN MEN ALTHOUGH NOT MANY DOGS HAVE STYLE [LAUGHTER] CATS HAVE IT WITH ABUNDANCE WHEN HEMINGWAY PUT HIS BRAINS TO THE WALL WITH A SHOTGUN THAT WAS STYLE OR SOMETIMES PEOPLE GIVE YOU STYLE JOAN OF ARC HAD STYLE JOHN THE BAPTIST, CHRIST, SOCRATES, CAESAR, OR FIELD I'VE MET MEN IN JAIL WITH STYLE I'VE MET MORE MEN IN JAIL WITH STYLE THAN OUT OF JAIL STYLE IS A DIFFERENCE, A WAY OF DOING, A WAY OF BEING DONE SIX HERONS STANDING QUIETLY IN THE POOL OF WATER YOU ARE WALKING OUT OF THE BATHROOM NAKED WITHOUT SEEING ME [APPLAUSE] DO I KNOW YOU?

DON'T PUSH ME AROUND, BABY.

ONE MORE BEER.

I'LL TAKE YOU ALL.

ALL OF YOU.

GOD, ALL YOU GUYS BELCHING AND PUKING.

YOU GUYS ARE DRUNKER THAN I AM.

[APPLAUSE] LIQUOR IS LIKE A SYMPHONY OR A CLASSICAL SONG OR SOMETHING.

YOU DO NOT USE IT AS A DOWNER.

YOU USE IT WHEN YOU ARE IN PAIN OR YOU HAVE DEPRESSION.

YOU USE IT TO GET YOURSELF OUT OF THE COMMON.

I AM SO TIRED OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SOBER EVERY DAY.

I CANNOT UNDERSTAND PEOPLE THAT WALK UP AND DOWN SOBERED.

THEY NEVER GET DRUNK, THEY NEVER GET SICK, THEY NEVER HAVE A HANGOVER.

THEY GO AROUND DRINKING FRUIT JUICE, EATING EGGS, THEY CAN, COLLIE FLOWER.

THEY NEVER GET SICK, THEY NEVER GET HIGH, THEY NEVER GO CRAZY.

A WOMAN A TIRE THAT IS FLAT A DISEASE A DESIRE FEAR IN FRONT OF YOU FEARS SO STILL THAT YOU CAN STUDY THEM LIKE PIECES ON A CHESSBOARD IT IS NOT THE LARGE THINGS THAT SEND A MAN TO A MADHOUSE DEATH HE IS READY FOR MURDER, INCESSANT, ROBBERY, FIRE, FLOOD, NO IT IS A CONTINUING SERIES OF SMALL TRAGEDIES THAT SEND A MAN TO THE MADHOUSE NOT THE DEATH OF HIS LOVE, BUT A SHOELACE THAT SNAPS WITH NO TIME LEFT THE TREAD OF LIFE IS THAT SWARM OF TRIVIALITY THAT WILL KILL QUICKER THAN CANCER LICENSE PLATES OR TAXES OR EXPIRED DREISER HORIZONS -- DRIVERS LICENSE HIRING OR FIRING DOING IT OR HAVING IT DONE TO YOU OR CONSTIPATION SPEEDING TICKETS, RICKETS OR CRICKETS OR MICE OR TERMITES OR ROACHES OR FLIES OR OUT OF GAS OR TOO MUCH GAS THE SINK STOPS UP, THE LANDLORD IS DRUNK, THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT CARE AND THE GOVERNMENT IS CRAZY MAKING IT AS A WAITRESS AT NORM'S ON THE SPLIT SHIFT OR AN EMPTY YEAR OF BEDPANS A STEELER WHO AWAITS PURSES LEAVING THEM SCREAMING ON SIDEWALKS WITH ROPE IN ARMS AT THE AGE OF 80 SUDDENLY, TWO RED LIGHTS IN YOUR REARVIEW MIRROR AND BLOOD IN YOUR UNDERWEAR AND IT IS CRABS AND INGROWN TOENAILS THERE IS ALL THAT AND WORSE LEAKY FOSSETT'S, CHRIST AND CHRISTMAS BLUE SALAMI, NINE-DAY RAIN.

$.50 AVOCADOS AND PURPLE LIVERWURST WITH EACH BROKEN SHOELACE OUT OF 100 BROKEN SHOELACES, ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN, ONE THING ENTERS THE MADHOUSE SO BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU BEND OVER [APPLAUSE] EVERYBODY WAS DISGUSTED WITH POETRY WHEN I WAS A KID.

THE POET IS A SISSY.

THE POET IS NOTHING.

IT IS TRUE.

THEY WERE, THEY ARE.

NOT BEING A SISSY.

BY SISSY, THEY ARE MISSING THE POINT.

LIKE GUYS ARE FIGHTING IN THE SCHOOLYARD AND ONE GUY GETS A PUNCH IN THE MOUTH.

ANOTHER GUY GETS HIS HEAD PUSHED DOWN IN THE FOUNTAIN.

HE COMES UP WITH A MOUTHFUL OF BLOOD.

THESE THINGS ARE NEVER EXPLAINED.

THE REALITIES WERE NEVER EXPLAINED.

EVERYTHING WAS HIDDEN IN POETRY.

THE REASON I KEPT WRITING WAS NOT BECAUSE I WAS SO GOOD, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE SO DAMN BAD.

YES.

SOME OF THESE POEMS ARE SERIOUS AND I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THOSE BECAUSE I KNOW MOST CROWDS DO NOT LIKE SERIOUS POEMS.

I HAVE GOT TO GIVE YOU SOME NOW TO SHOW YOU THAT I AM NOT A BEER DRINKING MACHINE.

OK, I AM BEGGING THE QUESTION.

FORGET IT.

THE LAST DAYS OF THE SUICIDE KID.

I CAN SEE MYSELF NOW AFTER ALL OF THESE SUICIDE DAYS AND NIGHTS BEING WHEELED OUT OF A REST HOME THIS IS ONLY AFTER I GET FAMOUS AND LUCKY BY A SIMPLE AND BOARD NURSE.

THERE I AM SITTING UPRIGHT IN MY WHEELCHAIR ALMOST BLIND, EYES ROLLING BACKWARD INTO THE DARK PART OF MY SKULL, LOOKING FOR THE MERCY OF DEATH IS IT A LOVELY DAY, MR.

BUKOWSKI YEAH, YEAH THE CHILDREN WALK PAST AND I DO NOT EVEN EXIST THE LOVELY WOMEN WALKED BY WITH BIG LOVELY HIPS AND WARM BUTTOCKS PRAYING TO BE LOVED AND I DO NOT EVEN EXIST IT IS THE FIRST SUNLIGHT WE HAVE HAD IN THREE DAYS, MR.

BUKOWSKI YEAH, YEAH THERE I AM SITTING UPRIGHT IN MY WHEELCHAIR MYSELF WIDER THAN A SHEET OF PAPER LOVELESS, RAIN GONE, GAMBLE GONE, ME BUKOWSKI, GONE ISN'T IT A LOVELY DAY, MR.

BUKOWSKI?

YEAH, YEAH KISSING IN MY PANTS TWO YOUNG BOYS RUN BY DID YOU SEE THAT ALL MAN?

HE MAKES ME SICK AFTER ALL OF THE THREATS TO DO SO, SOMEBODY COMMITTED SUICIDE FOR ME AT LAST THE NURSE STOPPED THE WHEELCHAIR ROSE FROM A NEARBY BUSH AND PUTS IT IN MY HAND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS IT MIGHT AS WELL BE MY PECKER FOR ALL THE GOOD IT DOES OF COURSE, THAT IS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW?

[APPLAUSE] SOMETHING ELSE OCCURRED TO ME.

I FEEL LIKE THROWING THIS BEER RIGHT IN YOUR FACE.

>> WHY?

>> I WILL TELL YOU WHY.

I COME A LITTLE BIT.

GUYS MARCHING AT ME WITH CAMERAS.

SOMEHOW I ALWAYS KNEW IT.

I WAS ALWAYS GOING TO CRASH IT DOWN.

HAND UP YOUR -- THEY GOT TO ME TOO LATE.

I DON'T THINK I CAN BE DESTROYED, BASICALLY.

THEY CANNOT DESTROY ME.

I AM TOO STRONG.

I CAME TOO LATE WITH TOO LITTLE.

THE YOUNG BLONDES CAME TOO LATE.

THE CAMERAS CAME TOO LATE.

DON'T GRIN AT ME.

IT IS TRUE.

THEY CAME TOO LATE.

THE GODS HAVE PUT A GOOD SHIELD OVER ME.

THEY REALLY HAVE.

I AM IN THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT PLACE, OR SO GOES THE DELUSION.

I REALLY FEEL IT.

THE GODS HAVE BEEN GOOD TO ME.

I REALLY HAVE.

THEY ARE STILL GOOD TO ME.

CHRIST, I HAVE GOT IT.