The Laughing Heart
It’s true: the grizzled “laureate of American lowlife” Charles Bukowski often used his sharp tongue to viciously lambast those close to him. But damn if he didn’t also pen some of the most uplifting and hopeful poetry of the 20th century. Here’s “The Laughing Heart” as read by another (decidedly kinder, gentler) grizzled laureate of American lowlife, Mister Tom Waits.
(Via Viggie, with thanks.)
The Laughing Heart
your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a 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.
–Charles Bukowski
May 31st, 2010 at 6:30 pm
Very lovely. Bukowski is a great picture of humanity, I think.
The best and worst.
Another little tidbit:
http://thedistantone.tumblr.com/post/651850141/in-response-to-coilhouse-my-own-little-snapshot
May 31st, 2010 at 8:17 pm
He does an awesome reading of Bukowski’s Nirvana on the album Orphans too… it’s one of my favorite listens. <3
May 31st, 2010 at 9:10 pm
That made my night, Mer.
June 1st, 2010 at 10:09 am
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June 1st, 2010 at 2:57 pm
beautiful…thanks
June 2nd, 2010 at 5:41 pm
[…] To celebrate this shifting of gears, I offer you an unexpected and entirely tender gem (courtesy of Coilhouse): […]
June 2nd, 2010 at 6:10 pm
[…] To celebrate this shifting of gears, I offer you an unexpected and entirely tender gem (courtesy of Coilhouse): […]
July 3rd, 2010 at 5:59 pm
i’d almost forgotten that not everything is sh1t. maravilhoso!
February 6th, 2011 at 5:35 am
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