Decline Poem by Charles Bukowski

Decline

Rating: 3.3


naked along the side of the house,
8 a.m., spreading sesame seed oil
over my body, Jesus, have I come
to this?
I once battled in dark alleys for a
laugh.
now I'm not laughing.
I splash myself with oil and wonder,
how many years do you want?
how many days?
my blood is soiled and a dark
angel sits in my brain.
things are made of something and
go to nothing.
I understand the fall of cities, of
nations.
a small plane passes overhead.
I look upward as if it made sense to
look upward.
it's true, the sky has rotted:
it won't be long for any of
us.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Shadow Girl 15 June 2011

Beautifully written - raw emotion flowing - thanks to LP for introducing me to another true legend

4 0 Reply
Richard Hexem 01 March 2010

Insanity is the spice sprinkled over life to enhance its flavor. I believe Mr. Bukowski may have overdosed here.

1 0 Reply
Kumarmani Mahakul 07 March 2020

An emotional expression has been duly inscribed in this poem. It is happy to be selected this poem as the modern poem of the poem of the day.

0 0 Reply
Dominic Windram 07 March 2020

Powerful poem. anout the darker aspect of the human condition..knowing Bukowski probablly born out of the effects of too much alcohol...brilliant all the same!

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Mahtab Bangalee 07 March 2020

I look upward as if it made sense to look upward. it's true, the sky has rotted: it won't be long for any of us........./// greatly written the inside feeling; I think this is the poem on poetic repentance about the riot world!

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Michael Walker 07 March 2020

A poem about the dark side of life, and a convincing one. ' now I'm not laughing'. He wonders how much more time he wants to live, as people do.

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Dr Antony Theodore 07 March 2020

I look upward as if it made sense to look upward. it's true, the sky has rotted: it won't be long for any of us. very fine poem. tony

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Edward Kofi Louis 07 March 2020

Soiled blood! ! Musing along! Waiting for the End. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

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Ramesh T A 07 March 2020

Exhausted in life at the end of it, this is the utterance one can express counting the remaining days in the world! What else one can do or say? Experience of Charles Bukowski is well reflected here in this Modern Poem of the day selected by the experienced PH!

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