The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski

your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is 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.

-- by Charles Bukowski

Read more about Charles Bukowski here.

Comments

[Noah Burke]

This is one of my favorite poems and it doesn't seem like Bukowski to me. Thanks.

[Laura Orem]

I agree - Bukowski usually isn't this hopeful. A lovely poem.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000058706234]

One of my favorite poems. Very provocative and inspiring.

[Tonymoore99]

Love this poem, but you've got one of the lines wrong (every site I look at does, though). I have the original printing of this. The line "there is a light somewhere," should be "there is light somewhere."

[Ruggieri Sharkey]

I have a friend who’s really good in writing a poem, too. She writes inspiring poem just like you and I admire you both.

[HDRBodegaPhoto]

Good poem. However, I would have cut the last three lines, making it a perfect poem.

[Obélix]

Life is LIFE

[Michael]

Said like a true alcoholic; I know, I am.

[Eric]

Light means hope, then we need to do meaningful things in our life, before death coming.

[Joaquin Nava]

Always has a way of making the misery escapable as long as the mind and heart are set on the horizon of a fading light.

[The Wandering Earth]

I cant find this poem on https://bukowski.net/manuscripts/

Is this really Bukowski?

[Teuta Ilyriana]

When I first heard this recited, I thought it was one of the lectures by Joseph Campbell, whom I love. Was surprised it was Bukowski. The last three lines are absolutely the best. Without them, the poem would be just good. With them, it’s great! Here’s to the Old Gods!❤️

[Steve Hammek]

The numb nut who said he would have cut the last 3 lines therefore making it a perfect poem... Well yes indeed I suppose it would be. You know the perfect poem. Poetry that is...Perfect. 99.9 percent of all poetry is written by people trying to write the perfect poem. And guess what? Most of them succeed at writing poetry, perfectly. And that's why hardly anyone will ever read it. Except maybe there mother , themselves and the person there sleeping with. Thank God for Bukowski. He wasn't aiming at perfection but as he said" getting down the word the line." Poetry books are sadly full of the perfect poem and or poems. That's why you can line your bird cage with most of it's pages.