So yesterday, I took one of those silly internet quizzes. (If you follow me on Facebook, you know I take a lot of silly internet quizzes.) The topic of this one was “Who is your Inner Poet”. After I answered questions like “pick a color” and “who would you rather smoke a bowl with Che Guevara, a bored llama, or Cthulhu” and “Pick an cute animal”, I received my answer: Charles Bukowski.

Now before I explain how I had no idea who Charles Bukowski was, let me in my defense say, I am not ignorant to world of poetry and poets. I like most people was exposed to the classics in school: Whitman, Cummings, Poe, Dickinson, Shakespeare, etc. But also like most people, I was to young to appreciate poetry when I was in school. I have grown a greater appreciation of poetry as an adult, but I have found that I enjoy the work very few poets. Most recently, I have found myself reading (and enjoying) the work of Michael A. Arnzen, Robert E. Howard (yes, Howard wrote more than just Conan and Solomon Kane stories, and he was an excellent poet), Milton, Dickinson, and Poe. All that being said to say I am not ignorant of poetry, but I had never heard of Charles Bukowski.

Now because it was an internet quiz, I could have just said “whatever” and went on with my life, but so some reason I became intrigued and headed over to the knower of all things the NSA, er… … I mean Google. Google lead me to Charles Bukowski website (http://bukowski.net/) where I learned that Bukowski was poet, artist, writer, postal worker, and odd, provocative character who’s life reminds me a bit of Earnest Hemingway and Hunter S. Thompson. His site also has a lot of poetry, a bibliography of his books, his FBI file, interviews, articles, etc. I read a few of his poems there. I enjoyed a poem titled “Locks” the best.

Based on all I have learn of Charles Bukowski may actually be my inner poet (curse you internet quizzes for knowing me so well), but as Mojo Nixon said about the Elvis in Joan Rivers, “but he’s trying to get out, man! He’s trying to get out!”