the goldfish sing all night with guitars,
and the whores go down with the stars,
the whores go down with the stars
I’m sorry, sir, we close at 4:30,
besides yr mother’s neck is dirty,
and the whores go down with the etc.,
the whrs. go dn. with the etc.
I’m sorry jack you can’t come back,
I’ve fallen in love with another sap,
3/4 Italian and 1/2 Jap,
and the whores go
the whores go
etc.
from “All’s Normal Here” – 1985

Analysis, meaning and summary of Charles Bukowski's poem Rhyming Poem

5 Comments

  1. Ida says:

    I think that eat means they go with stars. Like superstars. A superstar can be just a very successful person.

    Golddiggers-whores?

  2. Atindriyo says:

    no point trying to find meaning in anti-poems like these. Bukowski represented post-modernism at its peak, as this poem reflects. just feel the bitterness, because that is what the poet intends

  3. Graeme says:

    It is sort of a double meaning in my opinion. They go down with stars could mean either a) when the stars go out, they stop working or b) they go down (give head) when the stars are out….

  4. Brittany says:

    Of course that makes sense. The whores go down with the stars means they’re out at night, but go away in the day time. Prostitutes generally do it at night when it’s darker and they’re less likely to be seen and caught.

  5. Mello says:

    why does it say and the whores go down with the stars that really doesnt make sense!¿!¿

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