Bluebird by Charles Bukowski

[Nada Jung]

 

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.
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I pour whiskey on him and inhale
cigarette smoke
and the whores and the bartenders
and the grocery clerks
never know that
he's
in there.

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say,
stay down, do you want to mess
me up?
you want to screw up the
works?
you want to blow my book sales in
Europe?
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too clever, I only let him out
at night sometimes
when everybody's asleep.
I say, I know that you're there,
so don't be
sad.
then I put him back,
but he's singing a little
in there, I haven't quite let him
die
and we sleep together like
that
with our
secret pact
and it's nice enough to
make a man
weep, but I don't
weep, do
you?

 

Published in "The Last Night of the Earth Poems" 1991.

 

Charles Bukowski

 

 

[Irit Hakim-Keller]

beautiful and touching. thanks for sharing

[Béatrice LATEUR LACROIX]

Thanks Nada.

Compassion, Love and Peace for all Beings

[desmond dillon]

this poem reflects the situation with most people.  thank you i do like Charles Bukowski.

[Isabelle Cyr]

May we all let our blue bird go free and sing its song... 

(Painting by Grace Goodson) 

[Béatrice LATEUR LACROIX]

I do love this beautiful painting and its great title!

thanks +++.

Love and Peace for all Beings.