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100 Thought-Provoking Charles Bukowski Quotes

Famous As: Poet and Author Known for His Work “Mockingbird Wish Me Luck,” and “Love Is a Dog from Hell”
Born On: August 16, 1920
Died On: March 9, 1994
Born In: Andernach, Germany
Died At Age: 73
Heinrich Karl Bukowski, better known as Henry Charles Bukowski, was a German-born American novelist, short story writer and poet, who is included among the influential poets to have enriched American literature during their lifetime. Bukowski’s works were primarily focused on the social and economic situation in Los Angeles, the city in which he lived. Bukowski’s poems, short stories and novels dealt with the lives of downtrodden and poorer sections of the American population, which made TIME magazine describe him as the ‘laureate of American lowlife’. He produced a staggering amount of work throughout his career with the number of poems running into thousands. In addition to that he wrote six novels as well as plenty of short stories. Some of his well-known poetry collections include ‘The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills’, ‘Scarlet’ and ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ among others. On the other hand, ‘Post Office’, ‘Hollywood’ and ‘Ham on Rye’ are some of his well known novels. Bukowski also wrote for an underground publication named Open City. He was a highly intelligent man, who had a unique take on the world. We bring to you some of the best known quotes from Charles Bukowski’s life, times and work. Some of these quotes are excerpted from Charles Bukowski's poems, novels and short stories.
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Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.

Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.

Charles Bukowski
Do you hate people?”

“I don't hate them...I just feel better when they're not around.

Do you hate people?” “I don't hate them...I just feel better when they're not around.

Charles Bukowski
Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I'm not going to make it, but you laugh inside — remembering all the times you've felt that way.

Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I'm not going to make it, but you laugh inside — remembering all the times you've felt that way.

Charles Bukowski
What matters most is how well you walk through the fire

What matters most is how well you walk through the fire

Charles Bukowski
We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing.

We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing.

Charles Bukowski
My ambition is handicapped by laziness

My ambition is handicapped by laziness

Charles Bukowski
You have to die a few times before you can really
live.

You have to die a few times before you can really live.

Charles Bukowski
I wanted the whole world or nothing.

I wanted the whole world or nothing.

Charles Bukowski
The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.

The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.

Charles Bukowski
An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way.

An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way.

Charles Bukowski
There are worse things
than being alone
but it often takes
decades to realize this
and most often when you do
it's too late
and there's nothing worse
than too late

There are worse things than being alone but it often takes decades to realize this and most often when you do it's too late and there's nothing worse than too late

Charles Bukowski
If you're losing your soul and you know it, then you've still got a soul left to lose

If you're losing your soul and you know it, then you've still got a soul left to lose

Charles Bukowski
Find what you love and let it kill you.

Find what you love and let it kill you.

Charles Bukowski
Real loneliness is not necessarily limited to when you are alone.

Real loneliness is not necessarily limited to when you are alone.

Charles Bukowski
Some lose all mind and become soul,insane.
some lose all soul and become mind, intellectual.
some lose both and become accepted

Some lose all mind and become soul,insane. some lose all soul and become mind, intellectual. some lose both and become accepted

Charles Bukowski
I loved you like a man loves a woman he never touches, only writes to, keeps little photographs of.

I loved you like a man loves a woman he never touches, only writes to, keeps little photographs of.

Charles Bukowski
Being alone never felt right. sometimes it felt good, but it never felt right.

Being alone never felt right. sometimes it felt good, but it never felt right.

Charles Bukowski
Boring damned people. All over the earth. Propagating more boring damned people. What a horror show. The earth swarmed with them.

Boring damned people. All over the earth. Propagating more boring damned people. What a horror show. The earth swarmed with them.

Charles Bukowski
The free soul is rare, but you know it when you see it - basically because you feel good, very good, when you are near or with them.

The free soul is rare, but you know it when you see it - basically because you feel good, very good, when you are near or with them.

Charles Bukowski
Those who escape hell
however
never talk about
it
and nothing much
bothers them
after
that.

Those who escape hell however never talk about it and nothing much bothers them after that.

Charles Bukowski
A love like that was a serious illness, an illness from which you never entirely recover.

A love like that was a serious illness, an illness from which you never entirely recover.

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'm too tough for him, I say, stay in there, I'm not going to let anybody see you.

Charles Bukowski
Poetry is what happens when nothing else can.

Poetry is what happens when nothing else can.

Charles Bukowski
Of course it's possible to love a human being if you don't know them too well.

Of course it's possible to love a human being if you don't know them too well.

Charles Bukowski
I remember awakening one morning and finding everything smeared with the color of forgotten love.

I remember awakening one morning and finding everything smeared with the color of forgotten love.

Charles Bukowski
Sex is kicking death in the ass while singing.

Sex is kicking death in the ass while singing.

Charles Bukowski
People with no morals often considered themselves more free, but mostly they lacked the ability to feel or love.

People with no morals often considered themselves more free, but mostly they lacked the ability to feel or love.

Charles Bukowski
Sometimes you just have to pee in the sink.

Sometimes you just have to pee in the sink.

Charles Bukowski
I stopped looking for a Dream Girl, I just wanted one that wasn't a nightmare.

I stopped looking for a Dream Girl, I just wanted one that wasn't a nightmare.

Charles Bukowski
There is a loneliness in this world so great that you can see it in the slow movement of the hands of a clock

There is a loneliness in this world so great that you can see it in the slow movement of the hands of a clock

Charles Bukowski