Charles Bukowski--
well known for his poetry about sex, drinking, and the race track. Still, his poems were somewhat biographical -also included brilliant snapshots of his life at work, at love, and recounts of emotions through the last few years of his life.
one poem to inspire:
For Jane
225 days under grass
and you know more than I.
they have long taken your blood,
you are a dry stick in a basket.
is this how it works?
in this room
the hours of love
still make shadows.
when you left
you took almost
everything.
I kneel in the nights
before tigers
that will not let me be.
what you were
will not happen again.
the tigers have found me
and I do not care.
Charles Bukowski
Free verse poetry.
Inspired by the style, voice, emotions felt after reading the above poem "For Jane".
Left alignment.
I will close the contest after receiving at least 14 entries or by a 10 day deadline.
Zayra will co-judge this contest with me.
If you have not had the pleasure of reading her poetry, please check out her profile and homepages. There is a link to her myspace that introduces her verses with unique and perfect music arrangements.
well known for his poetry about sex, drinking, and the race track. Still, his poems were somewhat biographical -also included brilliant snapshots of his life at work, at love, and recounts of emotions through the last few years of his life.
one poem to inspire:
For Jane
225 days under grass
and you know more than I.
they have long taken your blood,
you are a dry stick in a basket.
is this how it works?
in this room
the hours of love
still make shadows.
when you left
you took almost
everything.
I kneel in the nights
before tigers
that will not let me be.
what you were
will not happen again.
the tigers have found me
and I do not care.
Charles Bukowski
Free verse poetry.
Inspired by the style, voice, emotions felt after reading the above poem "For Jane".
Left alignment.
I will close the contest after receiving at least 14 entries or by a 10 day deadline.
Zayra will co-judge this contest with me.
If you have not had the pleasure of reading her poetry, please check out her profile and homepages. There is a link to her myspace that introduces her verses with unique and perfect music arrangements.
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on May 7, 2007
- Rewards: Gold: 375, Silver: 75, Bronze: 50, Honorable mention: 2 people
- Final notes: This was very difficult to judge. Some entries had the subject Bukowski would have loved, some had the language, some had a little of both - all of them were great.
We chose the finalists according to the style of writing and voice in the piece seemingly being inspired by Hank - with flow, something that left us curios to the ending, consistent throughout the theme, etc. That "poetic license" thing was a component as well - though that's quite a continuum of criteria overall, there were a few poems that were overall strong in all categories.
I can't thank everyone enough for their interest in this contest and their patience with the judging process.
I'd also like to thank Zayra once again for helping me with the judging process. Her insight into poetry is amazing. (If you haven't had a chance to read her poetry yet, please visit her poetry here under the name Cameo Blue).
Thanks again for all of your entries -- and please please keep writing!
Kim
Contest Winners
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 2926322, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 2871438, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
-
Ashen hair speckled memory
Of half truths and misdemeanorsby brentsrich 15 lines, 5 comments, on Apr 18 10:59 PM 2007. In Personal, Sad, Spiritual
Honorable mention
• Commented on by judge. [remove] - Error: Unable to find finalist item 2866818, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
Entries [5]
1 - 5 of 5
-
Perfect Day in life• Commented on by judge.
-
They were hours of lust,
drink-fuelled and hard.• Commented on by judge. -
• Commented on by judge.
Add a comment
Comments
1 - 23 of 23
-
I can feel something stirring inside - and hopefully I'll be able to write that "stir". Lovely contest idea, Kimmie - and the poem is wonderful too.
~ Nicolette
-
-
There was such a tremendous side of Bukowski that wrote about his loves and his impending death in those last few years. Hopefully some of his poetry will inspire entries. (Mary Cat, Nursechilly, a few others and myself have been noting that participation has been down a bit lately.)
Hopefully something will stir enough to prompt your muse on this one. I think I'm going to post his "Bluebird" piece for my next one. That's one of my favorites.
Thanks for coming by!
-
-
One of my very favorite Bukowski poems, bookmarked... god i gotta start drinkin' again...lol
-
-
I actually laughed out loud with that comment... I do believe the best writing comes with a bit of deviant behavior - or at least the recovery from it.
-
-
i'm ready to get back to the deviant behavior...lol
i imagine you saw the documentary "born into this", I have the dvd, it is incredible...
i'm gonna try to get something in this one
-
-
Yes. That was the dvd. I suddenly find myself wanting to go to Borders and sleep in front of the stacks hoping to get all of the poetry through osmosis! No such luck though - they stopped at the door when they saw the pillow and my ambien...
-
-
you have to wait until they close...lol
-
-
-
-
-
Well, I am sure you will get lots of entries for this contest. The old man is popular with this group. Great idea!
-
-
goodness, I hope so. I watched a documentary on him over the weekend. I'd read a few volumes of his poetry in the past, but his documentary was fantastic. Hopefully, digging up some of the works that reflect his more sober side will start to inspire a muse or two... (nudge nudge nudge)
-
-
this is one of my all time favorites. ♥
-
-
Mine as well. I'm finding that a lot of people had this one at the top of their list.
Thanks so much for the definition of Vernicle. That makes so much sense now that you told me. I remember the context of the quote that I found it in and it seemed like something that had some rich history in it, but I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. I know I have an old english dictionary around here someplace from when I used to write sonnets. I should have looked there.
Thanks again for your contributions to the contest and your unique voice being shared through poetry.
Kim
-
-
I love charles bukowski's work. Definately my favourite writer. :]
-
-
Great! Hope to see you enter. Such a contest will expose myself and some of the other writers interested in Bukowski to read the works of writers on here that they have not been exposed to yet.
Thanks for the comment! - Kim
-
-
CONFESSION
waiting for death
like a cat
that will jump on the
bed
I am so very sorry for
my wife
she will see this
stiff
white
body
shake it once, then
maybe
again
"Hank!"
Hank won't
answer.
it's not my death that
worries me, it's my wife
left with this
pile of
nothing.
I want to
let her know
though
that all the nights
sleeping
beside her
even the useless
arguments
were things
ever splendid
and the hard
words
I ever feared to
say
can now be
said:
I love
you.
C. Bukowski -
-
- also one of my favorites. old bastard got me a bit teary when I read that one.
thanks
-
-
ah, i love bukowski. great contest.
-
Just stopping in to check on the poetry
-
I love Charles Bukowski. I'm always anxious to mimic his style, although I don't think there are many that can.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS AND HONORABLE MENTIONS!
Thanks for hosting this contest ladies.
Much Love ♥
Renee
-
thanks so much Kim and Zayra. a real surprise! but lovin' it.
congrats to Nicole and Al. both superb writers in every sense.
and a round of applause to all the other entries. they were all good. i would've been hard-pressed to pick a winner.
this...was a most cool contest. and i was happy just to be a part of it. -
thank you so much and congrats to all
al -
Kick ass! Thanks for the silver. There were some great entries in this contest, so I'm thrilled to have placed among them. Congrats to the other winners as well. I'm always lovin' great competition.
-
Thank you for Hosting Girls
I had fun writing my piece....congratulations winners...and honorables......
Mal -
I didn't recognize this Bukowski poem until coming to read it on your page after reading one of the entries to this contest. But yes, I remember it now...
Bukowski is one of those writers that can be so blunt and yet so poignant at the same time. Great inspiration poem for this contest.
Jo
Adding your comment:
1 - 23 of 23
