The suicide kid by Charles Bukowski

the suicide kid
by Charles Bukowski

I went to the worst of bars
hoping to get
killed.
but all I could do was to
get drunk
again.
worse, the bar patrons even
ended up
liking me.
there I was trying to get
pushed over the dark
edge
and I ended up with
free drinks
while somewhere else
some poor
son-of-a-bitch was in a hospital
bed,
tubes sticking out  all over
him
as he fought like hell
to live.
nobody would help me
die as
the drinks kept
coming,
as the next day
waited for me
with its steel clamps,
its stinking
anonymity,
its incogitant
attitude.
death doesn't always
come running
when you call
it,
not even if you
call it
from a shining
castle
or from an ocean liner
or from the best bar
on earth (or the
worst).
such impertinence
only makes the gods
hesitate and
delay.
ask me: I'm
72.

Charles Bukowski was an American-German immigrant who's ultimate goal in life was to become a famous writer. At first he did not succeed so he put down his pen, but it took tragedy in his life to begin writing again. Most of his work deprives from tragedy and have a dark meaning. For instance, a lot of his work that he has written includes great imagery of violence, sexual tension, and American society. Therefore his work is generally dark and gloomy rather than happy and cheerful.