Tupac Shakur and Charles Bukowski are still alive and hanging out together, writing books, recording albums and getting very drunk.
Maybe that’s why Bukowski just released “Sifting Through the Madness for the Word, the Line, the Way,” a new collection of Bukowski’s previously unreleased poems.
Having passed away in 1994 at age 73, Bukowski left behind archives of work that have been published in the past few years. This latest book contains 400 pages of poems and may be one of his best.
First published in 1944 at age 24 Bukowski has almost 50 books of poetry and prose published including “Ham on Rye,” “Post Office” and “Women,” and wrote the screenplay to the movie “Barfly.”
The first poem in the book, titled “So You Want to Be a Writer?” can be read as an agreement Bukowski made with himself and, at the same time, it’s as if he is giving his advice to others. Other poems like “One Step Removed” describe the life and times of Henry Chinaski, who is Bukowski’s autobiographical recurring main character in his novels.
Most of the poems are hilarious and witty, while others recall a dark and saddening feeling. Some of his themes include being a child during the Great Depression, protesting military service during World War II and the ever-present consumption of large quantities of alcohol.
Bukowski, who was proud to be a lifelong alcoholic, addresses many issues concerning his addictions. “Sifting Through the Madness” is a top-shelf read and contains some of the most openly detailed reflections by any writer.
Bukowski has been called one of the most influential writers of the past 50 years. He has also been one of the most imitated. Many people dig his minimalist, laidback, witty and often sarcastic style. Bukowski knew this and wrote about it in some of the poems in the book.
He didn’t like being famous — he liked the free drinks and the beautiful women. He liked being a writer.
While it may or may not be true that Bukowski and Tupac are getting wasted together singing “To Live and Die in LA.,” all one needs to do to bring Bukowski back to life is pour a nice cocktail and read a few pages of “Sifting through the Madness For The Word, the Line, The Way.”
