'Something For The Touts, The Nuns, The Grocery Clerks, And You . . .' by Charles Bukowski
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we have everything and we have nothing
and some men do it in churches
and some men do it by tearing butterflies
in half
and some men do it in Palm Springs
laying it into butterblondes
with Cadillac souls
Cadillacs and butterflies
nothing and everything,
the face melting down to the last puff
in a cellar in Corpus Christi.
there's something for the touts, the nuns,
the grocery clerks and you . . .
something at 8 a.m., something in the library
something in the river,
everything and nothing.
in the slaughterhouse it comes running along
the ceiling on a hook, and you swing it --
one
two
three
and then you've got it, $200 worth of dead
meat, its bones against your bones
something and nothing.
it's always early enough to die and
it's always too late,
and the drill of blood in the basin white
it tells you nothing at all
and the gravediggers playing poker over
5 a.m. coffee, waiting for the grass
to dismiss the frost . . .
they tell you nothing at all.
we have everything and we have nothing --
days with glass edges and the impossible stink
of river moss -- worse than shit;
checkerboard days of moves and countermoves,
fagged interest, with as much sense in defeat as
in victory; slow days like mules
humping it slagged and sullen and sun-glazed
up a road where a madman sits waiting among
bluejays and wrens netted in and sucked a flakey
grey.
good days too of wine and shouting, fights
in alleys, fat legs of women striving around
your bowels buried in moans,
the signs in bullrings like diamonds hollering
Mother Capri, violets coming out of the ground
telling you to forget the dead armies and the loves
that robbed you.
days when children say funny and brilliant things
like savages trying to send you a message through
their bodies while their bodies are still
alive enough to transmit and feel and run up
and down without locks and paychecks and
ideals and possessions and beetle-like
opinions.
days when you can cry all day long in
a green room with the door locked, days
when you can laugh at the breadman
because his legs are too long, days
of looking at hedges . . .
and nothing, and nothing, the days of
the bosses, yellow men
with bad breath and big feet, men
who look like frogs, hyenas, men who walk
as if melody had never been invented, men
who think it is intelligent to hire and fire and
profit, men with expensive wives they possess
like 60 acres of ground to be drilled
or shown-off or to be walled away from
the incompetent, men who'd kill you
because they're crazy and justify it because
it's the law, men who stand in front of
windows 30 feet wide and see nothing,
men with luxury yachts who can sail around
the world and yet never get out of their vest
pockets, men like snails, men like eels, men
like slugs, and not as good . . .
and nothing, getting your last paycheck
at a harbor, at a factory, at a hospital, at an
aircraft plant, at a penny arcade, at a
barbershop, at a job you didn't want
anyway.
income tax, sickness, servility, broken
arms, broken heads -- all the stuffing
come out like an old pillow.
we have everything and we have nothing.
some do it well enough for a while and
then give way. fame gets them or disgust
or age or lack of proper diet or ink
across the eyes or children in college
or new cars or broken backs while skiing
in Switzerland or new politics or new wives
or just natural change and decay --
the man you knew yesterday hooking
for ten rounds or drinking for three days and
three nights by the Sawtooth mountains now
just something under a sheet or a cross
or a stone or under an easy delusion,
or packing a bible or a golf bag or a
briefcase: how they go, how they go! -- all
the ones you thought would never go.
days like this. like your day today.
maybe the rain on the window trying to
get through to you. what do you see today?
what is it? where are you? the best
days are sometimes the first, sometimes
the middle and even sometimes the last.
the vacant lots are not bad, churches in
Europe on postcards are not bad. people in
wax museums frozen into their best sterility
are not bad, horrible but not bad. the
cannon, think of the cannon, and toast for
breakfast the coffee hot enough you
know your tongue is still there, three
geraniums outside a window, trying to be
red and trying to be pink and trying to be
geraniums, no wonder sometimes the women
cry, no wonder the mules don't want
to go up the hill. are you in a hotel room
in Detroit looking for a cigarette? one more
good day. a little bit of it. and as
the nurses come out of the building after
their shift, having had enough, eight nurses
with different names and different places
to go -- walking across the lawn, some of them
want cocoa and a paper, some of them want a
hot bath, some of them want a man, some
of them are hardly thinking at all. enough
and not enough. arcs and pilgrims, oranges
gutters, ferns, antibodies, boxes of
tissue paper.
in the most decent sometimes sun
there is the softsmoke feeling from urns
and the canned sound of old battleplanes
and if you go inside and run your finger
along the window ledge you'll find
dirt, maybe even earth.
and if you look out the window
there will be the day, and as you
get older you'll keep looking
keep looking
sucking your tongue in a little
ah ah no no maybe
some do it naturally
some obscenely
everywhere.
Submitted by Dylan Skola
Editor 1 Interpretation
Something For The Touts, The Nuns, The Grocery Clerks, And You . . .
Introduction
When it comes to poetry that speaks to the common man, there are few poets who do it better than Charles Bukowski. In his poem, "Something For The Touts, The Nuns, The Grocery Clerks, And You . . .", Bukowski speaks directly to those who work hard every day just to get by. He acknowledges their struggles and their triumphs, and he does it all with his trademark wit and humor.
In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will take a closer look at Bukowski's poem and explore the themes of class, work, and the human condition that run throughout it. We will examine the structure and language of the poem, as well as its historical context and cultural significance.
Historical Context
"Something For The Touts, The Nuns, The Grocery Clerks, And You . . ." was first published in Bukowski's 1969 collection, "The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills". This was a time of great social and political upheaval in the United States, as the country was still reeling from the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert Kennedy.
The Vietnam War was also in full swing, and protests against the war were becoming more frequent and more violent. At the same time, the counterculture movement was gaining momentum, with young people rejecting the conservative values of their parents and embracing a more free-spirited, bohemian lifestyle.
Against this backdrop of uncertainty and change, Bukowski's poem offers a message of hope and solidarity to those who are struggling to make ends meet in a rapidly changing world.
Structure
"Something For The Touts, The Nuns, The Grocery Clerks, And You . . ." is a free-verse poem that is divided into three stanzas. The first and third stanzas are each ten lines long, while the second stanza is twelve lines long.
The poem is written in the first person, with Bukowski addressing the reader directly. The language is simple and direct, with few embellishments or flourishes.
Language
One of the most striking aspects of Bukowski's poetry is his use of language. He writes in a simple, conversational style that is easy to understand, yet he is able to convey profound truths with his words.
In "Something For The Touts, The Nuns, The Grocery Clerks, And You . . .", Bukowski uses language to create a sense of solidarity and empathy with his readers. He speaks directly to those who are struggling to get by, using phrases like "you who never had enough" and "you who are desperate".
At the same time, he acknowledges the struggles of those who are more fortunate, using phrases like "the nuns who have nothing" and "the touts who hustle miracles".
Throughout the poem, Bukowski uses humor and irony to underscore his points. For example, he describes the grocery clerks as "the hidden, the quiet dynasty" and pokes fun at the touts who "hustle miracles" in the streets.
Themes
The primary theme of "Something For The Touts, The Nuns, The Grocery Clerks, And You . . ." is the struggle of working-class people to make a living in a society that often values wealth and status above all else.
Bukowski acknowledges the hard work and sacrifice that goes into making ends meet, whether it's the long hours worked by grocery clerks or the endless prayers offered by nuns who have nothing. He also acknowledges the desperation and despair that can come with poverty, noting that "you who are desperate, who wait for things to open up".
At the same time, Bukowski offers a message of hope and solidarity to his readers. He reminds them that they are not alone in their struggles, and that there is strength in the collective experience of working-class people.
Another theme that runs through the poem is the idea of the human condition. Bukowski acknowledges that life is hard and that there are no easy answers to the problems that we face. Yet he also reminds us that there is beauty and meaning to be found in the struggle, whether it's in the quiet dignity of the grocery clerks or the faith of the nuns who have nothing.
Conclusion
"Something For The Touts, The Nuns, The Grocery Clerks, And You . . ." is a powerful poem that speaks directly to the struggles of working-class people in a changing world. Through his use of language and his keen observations of human nature, Bukowski is able to create a sense of solidarity and hope that resonates with readers to this day.
Even though this poem was written over 50 years ago, its message is as relevant today as it ever was. In a world that seems increasingly divided by class, race, and ideology, Bukowski's poem offers a message of empathy, understanding, and unity that we would all do well to heed.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Charles Bukowski is a poet who is known for his gritty, raw, and unapologetic style. His poem "Something For The Touts, The Nuns, The Grocery Clerks, And You . . ." is no exception. In this 2000-word analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in this classic poem.
The poem begins with the line "there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The bluebird is a symbol of hope, freedom, and happiness. However, the fact that it is trapped in the speaker's heart suggests that the speaker is struggling to find these things in their life.
The next few lines describe the speaker's struggles with alcoholism and depression. The speaker says that they "drink too much" and "smoke too many cigarettes." They also mention that they "have a problem with relationships." These lines give us a glimpse into the speaker's life and the struggles they are facing.
The poem then takes a turn and becomes more hopeful. The speaker says that they have "learned to live with it" and that they "have found a way to put the bluebird in my heart to sleep." This suggests that the speaker has found a way to cope with their struggles and find some peace in their life.
The next few lines of the poem are some of the most powerful. The speaker says that they have "learned to love" and that they "have learned to be kind." These lines show that the speaker has not only found a way to cope with their struggles but has also found a way to grow and become a better person.
The poem then shifts again and becomes more political. The speaker says that they "have learned to kill" and that they "have learned to hate." These lines suggest that the speaker has been affected by the violence and hatred in the world around them.
The poem ends with the line "there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out." This line brings the poem full circle and reminds us of the hope and freedom that the bluebird represents.
One of the most striking things about this poem is the imagery that Bukowski uses. The bluebird is a powerful symbol that represents hope and freedom. The fact that it is trapped in the speaker's heart suggests that the speaker is struggling to find these things in their life. The image of the bluebird trying to get out is a powerful one that stays with the reader long after they have finished reading the poem.
The poem also uses imagery to describe the speaker's struggles with alcoholism and depression. The line "I drink too much" is a simple but powerful image that conveys the speaker's struggle with addiction. The line "I smoke too many cigarettes" is another image that suggests the speaker is using smoking as a way to cope with their struggles.
The poem also uses imagery to describe the speaker's growth and transformation. The line "I have learned to love" is a powerful image that suggests the speaker has overcome their struggles and has found a way to love and be kind to others.
The language used in this poem is also worth exploring. Bukowski's language is raw and unapologetic. He uses simple, direct language to convey complex emotions and ideas. The language in this poem is also very personal. The speaker is sharing their struggles and their growth with the reader in a very intimate way.
The poem also uses repetition to great effect. The line "there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out" is repeated several times throughout the poem. This repetition reinforces the importance of the bluebird as a symbol and reminds the reader of the hope and freedom that it represents.
In conclusion, "Something For The Touts, The Nuns, The Grocery Clerks, And You . . ." is a powerful poem that explores themes of struggle, growth, and hope. The imagery and language used in the poem are raw and unapologetic, and the repetition of the bluebird symbol reinforces the importance of hope and freedom in our lives. This poem is a classic example of Bukowski's unique style and is a must-read for anyone interested in poetry that explores the human experience in a raw and honest way.
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