The laughing heart.

I just heard this poem by Charles Bukowski and it just made me feel so powerful, so I thought to share it.
It is the first one in this video. The second one may take it to the extreme, perhaps not the most healthy advice, but still cool as a piece of art.



The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski
your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

 

Beautiful, thanks Elina.

 

your life is your life.

We will all die faster than we can imagine --- even if I make it to 95. The quote above is important to remember!

 

I really love the second poem. I've emboldened the lines that made me smile with recognition, that gladden my heart, that remind me of who I am and why I live in the enduring ebb and flow of passion.

(Nothing beats hearing the poet read the poem.)

****

Roll the Dice

if you’re going to try,
go all the way.
otherwise, don’t even start.

if you’re going to try,
go all the way.
this could mean losing girlfriends,
wives, relatives, jobs and
maybe your mind.

go all the way.
it could mean not eating for 3 or 4 days.
it could mean freezing on a park bench.
it could mean jail,
it could mean derision,
mockery,
isolation.

isolation is the gift,
all the others are a test of your
endurance, of
how much you really want to
do it.
and you’ll do it
despite rejection and the worst odds
and it will be better than
anything else
you can imagine.

if you’re going to try,
go all the way.
there is no other feeling like that.
you will be alone with the gods
and the nights will flame with
fire.

do it,
Do it,
DO it.
DO IT.

all the way
all the way.

you will ride life straight to
perfect laughter,
its the only good fight
there is.

 

if you’re going to try,
go all the way.
otherwise, don’t even start.

I like this part.