I can’t say I’ve read much from Charles Bukowski, Well other than some poems actually.   Thing about dear old Chuck is that he pretty much loved to phrase things in a way that our inner bastard would readily understand, while our tasty PC outer shell does gasp and writhe upon every line.  I know one thing, as I get older I’m certainly becoming more at peace with my inner bastard.  I wanted to read you my favorite poem by Charles called, "To the Whore that stole my Poems”  but I thought better of it.  Here instead is "Some People":

some people never go crazy.
me, sometimes I’ll lie down behind the couch
for 3 or 4 days.
they’ll find me there.
it’s Cherub, they’ll say, and
they pour wine down my throat
rub my chest
sprinkle me with oils.
then, I’ll rise with a roar,
rant, rage -
curse them and the universe
as I send them scattering over the
lawn.
I’ll feel much better,
sit down to toast and eggs,
hum a little tune,
suddenly become as lovable as a
pink
overfed whale.
some people never go crazy.
what truly horrible lives
they must lead.

Now, what’s this all leading up to?  Well, the new Canoecopia Gazette is out and flying to a mailbox near you. (Hopefully YOURs).  As many of you know the Gazette holds everything you need to know about the world’s largest paddlesports exposition held in Madison, Wisconsin each year.   This year you can recognize it by the great big full color photograph of Bryan Smith on the cover.   Somewhere in there, page 61 in fact, you will see this headline, “Notes from a Dirty Young Lady”.   Sadly of course it’s a clean wonderfully written selection of summer paddling adventures that has very little to do with what you were thinking.  The title references our boy Charles and his interestingly hackneyed book, “Notes of a Dirty old man”.   You’ll have to pick up a copy of the Gazette for this, Bigfoot, and more interesting tales. As for Chuck, you’ll have to run ot Borders. . . right next to the collected works of a Milwaukee EMT.  . . (sorry. . .)  (really. . .)

BTW. . I should add that the speaker schedules for the show are now up at the Canoecopia Website as well. . . 37 days and counting!