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Comment 13 of 13, added on May 14th, 2008 at 9:22 AM.
This is not a message of love, as some have interpreted, but one of
disgust. He's talking about the horror of mob metality and warning us
against it. Those who preach peae and love yet have none of it themselves
are those who protest something and hypcritically support it
simultaneously. An example would be 'peace protesters' using violent means
to make an example. They are so angry at what they stand for,they gather in
crowds and together their hate disturbs them and makes them best at war.
The line about bewaring those who read books and detest/are proud of
poverty means that the narrow-minded mass of semi-educated people merely
demonstrate their lack of involvement with the real world- the tough,
no-nonsense world of Bukowski. The goes on to condemn that middle class
crowd of the average and describes the tyranny of the masses, the hatred of
those who group together "not wanting solitutde not understanding solitude"
and blaming the world for their failures when truly, they are the
incomplete ones. The majority is tempting like a shining diamond, and large
as a mountain, and as dangerous as the knife, tiger, and hemlock he
concludes the poem with. It is their hatred that is their "finest art".
Alison from Singapore
Comment 12 of 13, added on March 19th, 2008 at 2:36 AM.
those who detest poverty will never do anything to fix the problem and
those proud of it are just, well, twisted.
bukowski is poetry. the best kind of poetry.
mari from United States
Comment 11 of 13, added on January 5th, 2008 at 12:55 PM.
bukowksi is not condemning people in this poem, he is telling people to
beware, or question their surroundings. by saying beware of people who
detest poverty he is saying question them-- why do they detest poverty? i
think bukowski is saying that we must QUESTION things, not take them for
their surface value. most people are filled with hate because they don't
understand other people or where they are coming from. this is why we must
beware of others so we don't end up surrounded by a bunch of average people
who hate their lives doing a bunch of average things.
brittany McKallagat from United States
Comment 10 of 13, added on January 2nd, 2008 at 5:07 PM.
I adore this poem.
I think that this poem speaks of the lack of control we have as people of
our emotions and therefore actions. we can be extremely unpredictable.
the preacher of peace is the best at war because he knows how damaging it
is. The preacher of love is so good at hate because he understands how
important love is to survive.
average hate is stronger than the average love because for most people its
so much easier to hate.
People who detest poverty understand how such little money can be so useful
to people, and can therfore take it away. The people who are always reading
books are probably those who want to learn more. and with knowledge comes
more power.
beware the knowers.
eloise from United Kingdom
Comment 9 of 13, added on June 26th, 2007 at 1:43 AM.
To be fair, there are things I like about this poem. Though it isn't always
the case, there are indeed many hypocrites who don't practice what they
preach; and I thought the next-to-last stanza (starts with "like") was
beautifully worded. However, I just don't like this poem. "Beware those who
are always reading books?" That makes no sense to me. Neither does bewaring
"those who detest poverty;" is poverty a good thing now? Perhaps I'm
missing something, and all the poetry experts reading this will laugh at
me, but this poem seems as hateful and vitriolic as those it condemns.
Laura from United States
Comment 8 of 13, added on June 16th, 2007 at 12:11 PM.
I wholeheartedly agree with you, Jim. I've loved this poem and the genius
who wrote the poem since I was first introduced. I would definitely shout
it from rooftops to remind the people of ourselves.
Jane
Comment 7 of 13, added on April 8th, 2007 at 4:28 PM.
watched a documentary on B. last night. heard part of this poem read during
it. i had never heard or read anything by him before although i was
familiar with his name. it blew me away, truth wielded like a razor in the
hand of a madman. then i heard Bluebird. i plan to read everything i can
find by him. i want to shout the genius of the crowd from the rooftops
because it describes the world we live in. the posts here that discredit
the man and his art are committing "their finest art" for all of us to see
how right B. was.
jim from United States
Comment 6 of 13, added on March 24th, 2007 at 11:11 AM.
I saw a Bukowski novel in a bookstore 20 years ago and did not buy it
because it looked mindlessly vulgar and negative. Finally, after really
looking at his work now it looks completely honest and unpretentious.
Almost coolly objective about a guy who refused to conform....
Mike from United States
Comment 5 of 13, added on March 14th, 2007 at 11:43 AM.
His crudity and shame and disgusting attitudes, all the cranky stuff that
he has done in his life, and all the filth that he would have done if he
were still alive is not enough to hide neither His genious nor his
romance
Nicole from Italy
Comment 4 of 13, added on February 10th, 2006 at 5:06 PM.
simly put, there is an ammount of truth inside the poem 'The Genius of the
Crowd' that Bukowski had realized and figured out. This is not some
drunken poem or a Laytonesque prophecy.
The words of this poem speak a truth that has needed to be said for a long
time. (ie: those who preech god, need god) that statement alone isn't
saying anything negative or 'anti' anyone, he is merely pointing out a
fact, ergo, The Genius of Bukwoski for doing so in this talented way.
Adam Gauthier from Canada
This poem has been commented on more than 10 times. Click below to see the other comments.
[1] 2
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This is not a message of love, as some have interpreted, but one of
disgust. He's talking about the horror of mob metality and warning us
against it. Those who preach peae and love yet have none of it themselves
are those who protest something and hypcritically support it
simultaneously. An example would be 'peace protesters' using violent means
to make an example. They are so angry at what they stand for,they gather in
crowds and together their hate disturbs them and makes them best at war.
The line about bewaring those who read books and detest/are proud of
poverty means that the narrow-minded mass of semi-educated people merely
demonstrate their lack of involvement with the real world- the tough,
no-nonsense world of Bukowski. The goes on to condemn that middle class
crowd of the average and describes the tyranny of the masses, the hatred of
those who group together "not wanting solitutde not understanding solitude"
and blaming the world for their failures when truly, they are the
incomplete ones. The majority is tempting like a shining diamond, and large
as a mountain, and as dangerous as the knife, tiger, and hemlock he
concludes the poem with. It is their hatred that is their "finest art".
Alison from Singapore