Charles Bukowski, "Style" -- Screwed and Chopped

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 style.
To do a dangerous thing with style, is what I call art.
Bullfighting 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.

Cats have it with abundance.

When Hemingway put his brains to the wall with a shotgun, that was style.
For sometimes people give you style.
Joan of Arc had style.
John the Baptist.
Jesus.
Socrates.
Caesar.
GarcĂ­a Lorca.
I have met men in jail with style.
I have met more men in jail with style than men out of jail.
Style is a difference, a way of doing, a way of being done.
Six herons standing quietly in a pool of water, or you, walking
out of the bathroom without seeing me.

--Charles Bukowski



Image Source

Original Post w/ Full Poem + Reading by Author

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

haha nice picture for this poem. that is style?

Noah said...

Yeah, the dog obviously has style! :)

Anonymous said...

It is funny.. It is obvious that the owner of the dog is quite crazy.. pet remains urns

Sam Mills said...

I have the record on which this poem was recorded, and have always wondered if the next-to-last line starts "Six herons..." or "Six Hurons..."; don't know if the poem was published...anyone know?

Sam Mills said...

I have the record on which this poem was recorded, and have always wondered if the next-to-last line starts "Six herons..." or "Six Hurons..."; don't know if the poem was published...anyone know?

Noah said...

Sounds like he says Heron to me, but I am no authority.

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