"my mother, poor fish, wanting to be happy, beaten two or t… - Charles Bukowski

"my mother, poor fish,
wanting to be happy, beaten two or three times a
week, telling me to be happy: "Henry, smile!
why don't you ever smile?"

and then she would smile, to show me how, and it was the
saddest smile I ever saw"

Charles Bukowski

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About Charles Bukowski

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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Also Known As

Alternative Names: Henry Charles Bukowski • Buk

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Additional quotes by Charles Bukowski

Lighting new cigarettes,
pouring more
drinks.

It has been a beautiful
fight.

Still
is.

I was a man who thrived on solitude; without it I was like another man without food or water. Each day without solitude weakened me. I took no pride in my solitude; but I was dependent on it. The darkness of the
room was like sunlight to me.

dogs and angels are not
very far apart

"my mother, poor fish, wanting to be happy, beaten two or three times a week, telling me to be happy: "Henry, smile! why don't you ever smile?" and … - Charles Bukowski

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