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Wednesday, April 01, 2015

About Sandra

The first poem
I read was
in the volume entitled

"Love is a Dog from Hell."

The perversity of the title
hooked me
and I opened to the section
about Sandra

and read about the temptress
who brought her
naive, young boys around
to show off to the author.

I had been
one of those boys
and I was red-faced
as him
caught me
in his descriptive grasp,
looked me over
and summarily dismissed me
as the inconsequential
youth that I was.

I read more
and more,
each poem
defining the man
and resonating
in me,
at once idiosyncratic
and personal.

I took it home
and Bukowski became
that unreachable standard
that all who create
must have.

13 comments:

  1. I really have to read Bukowski. You are the latest in a string of poets I admire who admire him.

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  2. Anonymous5:30 PM

    Wow, your first poem/poet. You bypassed the baby bottle and went right for the steak.

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  3. "...that unreachable standard" that would kill its creatrix, if she ever touches it.

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  4. Oh, yes...that standard...I've looked in the face of that standard...it's daunting at times. I love the way the author looks through the poem at you...what an engaging read this is Buddah. So nice to see you. :)

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  5. So cool! "Love is a dog from hell!" I must read that book!

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  6. Yes, we who write do need that unreachable standard. It keeps our pen hungry to write, to strive to leave better ink.

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  7. Fun to read the effect this poem had on you! Yes, I love how you described, 'the unreachable standard'-we all know this dance~

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  8. what an introduction; it carries through, yet ~

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  9. Ha! I enjoyed this portrait of the artist as a young impressionable man.

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  10. unreachable standards we should all have in our poetic sphere, for thats where the striving begins and the greatness unfurls; nice write
    and, thank you for dropping in to read mine

    much love,,,

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  11. This is wonderful, I just love it! And it's leaving me wondering how my life's path might have been different had I discovered Bukowski when I was very young. I discovered him and many others in college. So great, so influential! Thank you.

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  12. Yes--the first poem I read by Bukowski was just a few years ago, 'To The Whore Who Stole My Poems--I was hooked from the first line ("some say we should keep personal remorse from the
    poem..." ) he was a vastly talented soul, despite his personal flaws, tremendously gifted, and his gift was often displayed as here, in awkening and insoiring others. Good to read your work again, sir.

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