Charles Bukowski Quotes

German-American writer (1920–1994)

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Charles Bukowski (16 August 1920 – 9 March 1994) was a Los Angeles, California poet and novelist sometimes mistakenly associated with Beat Generation writers because of alleged similarities of style and attitude. Bukowski's writing was heavily influenced by the geography and atmosphere of his home city of Los Angeles. He wrote more than fifty books and countless smaller pieces. He is often mentioned as an influence by contemporary authors and his style is frequently imitated.

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Alternative Names: Henry Charles Bukowski • Buk

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An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way.

there are worse things
than being alone
but it often takes
decades to realize this
and most often when you do
it's too late
and there's nothing worse
than too late

If you're losing your soul and you know it, then you've still got a soul left to lose

Some lose all mind and become soul,insane.
some lose all soul and become mind, intellectual.
some lose both and become accepted

I loved you like a man loves a woman he never touches, only writes to, keeps little photographs of.

Real loneliness is not necessarily limited to when you are alone.

being alone never felt right. sometimes it felt good, but it never felt right.

I will remember the kisses
our lips raw with love
and how you gave me
everything you had
and how I
offered you what was left of
me,
and I will remember your small room
the feel of you
the light in the window
your records
your books
our morning coffee
our noons our nights
our bodies spilled together
sleeping
the tiny flowing currents
immediate and forever
your leg my leg
your arm my arm
your smile and the warmth
of you
who made me laugh
again.

the free soul is rare, but you know it when you see it - basically because you feel good, very good, when you are near or with them.

I felt like crying but nothing came out. it was just a sort of sad sickness, sick sad, when you can't feel any worse. I think you know it. I think everybody knows it now and then. but I think I have known it pretty often, too often.

those who escape hell
however
never talk about
it
and nothing much
bothers them
after
that.

Boring damned people. All over the earth. Propagating more boring damned people. What a horror show. The earth swarmed with them.

A love like that was a serious illness, an illness from which you never entirely recover.

there is a place in the heart that
will never be filled

a space

and even during the
best moments
and
the greatest times
times

we will know it

we will know it
more than
ever

there is a place in the heart that
will never be filled
and

we will wait
and
wait

in that space.

There's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I'm not going to let anybody see you.