Hot Poem by Charles Bukowski

Hot

Rating: 3.2


she was hot, she was so hot
I didn't want anybody else to have her,
and if I didn't get home on time
she'd be gone, and I couldn't bear that-
I'd go mad...
it was foolish I know, childish,
but I was caught in it, I was caught.
I delivered all the mail
and then Henderson put me on the night pickup run
in an old army truck,
the damn thing began to heat halfway through the run
and the night went on
me thinking about my hot Miriam
and jumping in and out of the truck
filling mailsacks
the engine continuing to heat up
the temperature needle was at the top
HOT HOT
like Miriam.
leaped in and out
3 more pickups and into the station
I'd be, my car
waiting to get me to Miriam who sat on my blue couch
with scotch on the rocks
crossing her legs and swinging her ankles
like she did,
2 more stops...
the truck stalled at a traffic light, it was hell
kicking it over
again...
I had to be home by 8,8 was the deadline for Miriam.
I made the last pickup and the truck stalled at a signal
1/2 block from the station...
it wouldn't start, it couldn't start...
I locked the doors, pulled the key and ran down to the
station...
I threw the keys down...signed out...
your goddamned truck is stalled at the signal,
I shouted,
Pico and Western...
...I ran down the hall,put the key into the door,
opened it...her drinking glass was there, and a note:

sun of a bitch:
I waited until 5 after ate
you don't love me
you sun of a bitch
somebody will love me
I been wateing all day

Miriam

I poured a drink and let the water run into the tub
there were 5,000 bars in town
and I'd make 25 of them
looking for Miriam
her purple teddy bear held the note
as he leaned against a pillow
I gave the bear a drink, myself a drink
and got into the hot
water.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Alexander Torc 29 January 2011

Yes, he was a 'purported' misogynist, for good reason.

0 6 Reply
Tim George 08 May 2010

What was in the damned note was the dred PROFANITY! So the Big Brother that keeps we poets that submit from using words like s.it, b.st..rd, and v.gi, a decided to delet it. A clear case of needless censorship. Hell-how did you guys find 150+ poems by this guy that DIDN'T have profanity? Print the whole poem or don't print it at all.

6 1 Reply
Julien Stricher 04 October 2009

well it's not really a poem.. it's an excerpt from 'The Post Office' one of his books. But he writes his books the same way he writes his poetry, it's wonderful :)

2 1 Reply
Danielle Luckett 19 August 2007

I'm new to this site...I have always loved Bukowski. I wonder if he is popular with other women? He is such a purported (for good reason) mysogynist. But this poem, such a low rating. I like it. A lot. Like the ending of the Sopranos, ..just wanted to know....what was in the damned note!

1 2 Reply
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