Friends Within The Darkness Poem by Charles Bukowski

Friends Within The Darkness

Rating: 3.6


I can remember starving in a
small room in a strange city
shades pulled down, listening to
classical music
I was young I was so young it hurt like a knife
inside
because there was no alternative except to hide as long
as possible--
not in self-pity but with dismay at my limited chance:
trying to connect.

the old composers -- Mozart, Bach, Beethoven,
Brahms were the only ones who spoke to me and
they were dead.

finally, starved and beaten, I had to go into
the streets to be interviewed for low-paying and
monotonous
jobs
by strange men behind desks
men without eyes men without faces
who would take away my hours
break them
piss on them.

now I work for the editors the readers the
critics

but still hang around and drink with
Mozart, Bach, Brahms and the
Bee
some buddies
some men
sometimes all we need to be able to continue alone
are the dead
rattling the walls
that close us in.


Anonymous submission.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Lilah Weiss 28 March 2006

Charles, you put a smile on my face. Let's ressurect the brilliant.

6 1 Reply
Dawn Fuzan 11 May 2014

Nice poem charles

5 1 Reply
Susan Williams 22 July 2016

He knew what it was like to be starving poor but he didn't close down- -he listened to the greatness of long-dead composers to befriend the artist inside him

3 1 Reply
Ratnakar Mandlik 22 July 2016

Pathetic conditions through which an artist is made to pass for livelihood are narrated in a touching language by the great poet. Thanks for sharing it here.

1 1 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 22 July 2016

In a strange city! ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

2 1 Reply
Akachukwu Lekwauwa 22 July 2016

not the best scenario, being left on your own, but good music can be a near companion as it is the case here. nice one from Bukwa

2 1 Reply
Pranab K Chakraborty 22 July 2016

So smart, so brave and such the brilliant.....simply salute the genius. Great indeed.

2 1 Reply
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