“The Genius of the Crowd” by Charles Bukowski

On By Christina's WordsIn Poetry

The Genius of the Crowd — by Charles Bukowski

there is enough treachery, hatred violence absurdity in the average
human being to supply any given army on any given day

and the best at murder are those who preach against it
and the best at hate are those who preach love
and the best at war finally are those who preach peace

those who preach god, need god
those who preach peace do not have peace
those who preach love do not have love

beware the preachers
beware the knowers
beware those who are always reading books
beware those who either detest poverty
or are proud of it
beware those quick to praise
for they need praise in return
beware those who are quick to censor
they are afraid of what they do not know
beware those who seek constant crowds for
they are nothing alone
beware the average man the average woman
beware their love, their love is average
seeks average

but there is genius in their hatred
there is enough genius in their hatred to kill you
to kill anybody
not wanting solitude
not understanding solitude
they will attempt to destroy anything
that differs from their concepts
not being able to create art
they will not understand art
they will consider their failure as creators
only as a failure of the world
not being able to love fully
they will believe your love incomplete
and then they will hate you
and their hatred will be perfect

like a shining diamond
like a knife
like a mountain
like a tiger
like hemlock

their finest art

Charles Bukowski, from 70 Minutes In Hell, (video of Buk’s reading)

 

The Poet with His Face in His Hands by Mary Oliver

On By Christina's WordsIn Poetry

You want to cry aloud for your
mistakes. But to tell the truth the world
doesn’t need anymore of that sound.

So if you’re going to do it and can’t
stop yourself, if your pretty mouth can’t
hold it in, at least go by yourself across

the forty fields and the forty dark inclines
of rocks and water to the place where
the falls are flinging out their white sheets

like crazy, and there is a cave behind all that
jubilation and water fun and you can
stand there, under it, and roar all you

want and nothing will be disturbed; you can
drip with despair all afternoon and still,
on a green branch, its wings just lightly touched

by the passing foil of the water, the thrush,
puffing out its spotted breast, will sing
of the perfect, stone-hard beauty of everything.

~ Mary Oliver (New and Selected Poems Volume Two)

“First is the distinction between reaction and response…

On By Christina's WordsIn Quote2 Comments

First is the distinction between reaction and response. Reaction is dominated by the other person. He insults you: you get angry, and then you act out of anger. This is reaction. You are not an independent person; anybody can pull you this way or that way. You are easily affected; you can be blackmailed emotionally. Reaction is an emotional blackmail. You were not angry. The man insulted you, and his insult created anger; now out of anger comes your action.

Response is out of freedom. It is not dependent on the other person. The other person may insult you, but you don’t become angry; on the contrary you meditate on the fact – why is he insulting you? Perhaps he is right. Then you have to be grateful to him, not get angry.

Perhaps he is wrong. If he is wrong, then for his wrong why should you burn your heart with anger?

OSHO, EMOTIONS: Freedom from Anger, Jealousy & Fear

7 Nation Army

On By Christina's WordsIn Music

“7 Nation Army” by Zella Day (Amazon)(original by White Stripes)

“I’m gonna fight ’em off
A seven nation army couldn’t hold me back
They’re gonna rip it off
Taking their time right behind my back
And I’m talkin’ to myself at night
Because I can’t forget
Back and forth through my mind
Behind a cigarette

And the message comin’ from my eyes says leave it alone…

Don’t wanna hear about it
Every single one’s got a story to tell
Everyone knows about it
From the Queen of England to the hounds of hell
And if I catch it comin’ back my way
I’m gonna serve it to you
And that ain’t what you want to hear
But that’s what I’ll do

And the feeling coming from my bones says find a home…

I’m going to Wichita
Far from this opera forevermore
I’m gonna work the straw
Make the sweat drip out of every pore
And I’m bleeding, and I’m bleeding, and I’m bleeding
Right before the lord
All the words are gonna bleed from me
And I will think no more

And the stains comin’ from my blood tell me “Go back home”…”

“The Laughing Heart” by Charles Bukowski

On By Christina's WordsIn Poetry8 Comments

your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a 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.

“The Laughing Heart” by Charles Bukowski from Betting on the Muse

Read by Tom Waits (video)

***

A question for our e-mail/ Feedly/RSS readers: On yesterday’s post “It’s Not Your Job,” I forgot to close off comments, which led to a short dialogue about if, as readers, you would like the option to leave comments or to “like” posts. Our rationale when starting this new project was, given the post-a-day format, we didn’t want to overwhelm anyone or put pressure or expectations on anyone to like or comment on every post; we thought closing the comments would make it easier on everyone, including ourselves. But, while Words is foremost about the words, it’s also about community and about how words can resonate so strongly with us that we really want to give voice to that emotion.

So I’m asking you, kind reader, do you have an opinion on open comments vs. closed comments? How about likes?

Listen. If you are following us, you like us. We appreciate that. We like you too. But with daily posts, we do not expect you to comment or like daily — but if you would like us to open that door, and at least give you the option, or if you want us to keep the door closed even, please feel free to add your voice to the discussion. We’re in this together, and with daily posts, you and me and Jennie are going to feel pretty close this year — so “say what you want to say, let the words fall out” and talk to us, about commenting, or about anything  … We’ll leave comments AND likes open this week, and we’ll plan a democratic decision to be made next Sunday, Jan. 19.

Check out  yesterday’s comments and then feel free to comment here or there or anywhere this week.

Don’t forget, I’m on Twitter as Christys_Words. Jennie is on Twitter too as daisiesfromdust, and on Facebook as daisiesfromdust.