a conversation with Charles Bukowski

W––I read some selections from

“burning in water drowning in flame” again last night

which I think is your masterpiece.

B––yeah? maybe. I don’t know.

W––I think it’s better than "last night of the Earth.."

B––wait. what’s better? each poem?

W––I mean taken as a whole…as a volume..

B––no. let’s go poem by poem. and besides

what’s a masterpiece?

W––let me take it back. I should’ve said

I like it more than “last night of the earth..”

B––look. take the first poem of “burning..”

and compare it to the poem on page 151

of “last night..” very different. how do you

decide which is better?

W––I wasn't engaged with page 151. that’s the Elvis poem, right?

B––yeah. “Elvis lives”. no good?

W––I just meant I like the opening poem of “burning..”

B––yeah. “tragedy of the leaves”..that’s a good one.

W––can I have some of that wine?

B––fuck you! go buy your own fucking wine you shithead!

laughter and applause.