Artwork: Charles Bukowski

$6000 

Charles Bukowski was a prolific underground writer who used his poetry and prose to depict the depravity of urban life and the downtrodden in American society.  

Bluebird by Charles Bukowski 

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?