Betting on a Muse
Poetry Analysis – Assignment 1
As a collection of social beings, humanity and the individual entities within cannot help but crave attention and the personal gratification which comes as a result. It is therefore reasonable to say that in the near-sighted and impulsive throes of youth, one will garner attention through whatever means necessary, lacking the foresight to ascertain that said attention will most likely be short-lived and unsustainable. It is this troubling concept which Charles Bukowski addresses masterfully in his poem ‘Betting on a Muse’, perusing the irrelevancy of those who were once relevant early on, and the reversal of such with himself. He utilizes the classic example of high-school jocks: popular and well-loved in their prime, yet unsuccessful and even destitute in their later years. Bukowski then contrasts this with his inglorious writer self, whose relevancy and skills only increase with time, carrying him into the future. Through the use of imagery, literary devices, structure, voice, and an old-fashioned emotional ideal, Bukowski truly makes good on the notion that ‘forward thinking is the best thinking’.
Imagery and literary devices are used both creatively and ingeniously throughout the piece in order to further impact the reader and truly emphasize Bukowski’s intended meaning for the work. To begin, stark and contrasting imagery is used when discussing the lives of high school jockeys ‘Jack Beau’ and ‘Jimmy Foxx’, along with their former glory. The latter, Jimmy Fox, is described as having “died an alcoholic / in a skidrow hotel”, whereas Beau Jack “ended up shining / shoes, / just where he began”. This creates a depressing, even grim scene in the reader’s mind, one which brings forward emotions of loss and a seeming inability to move forward. This is further compounded by the simile at the end of the first stanza, in which an athlete grown old is an “old man / like other old / men”, bring the reader an even greater sense of
As a collection of social beings, humanity and the individual entities within cannot help but crave attention and the personal gratification which comes as a result. It is therefore reasonable to say that in the near-sighted and impulsive throes of youth, one will garner attention through whatever means necessary, lacking the foresight to ascertain that said attention will most likely be short-lived and unsustainable. It is this troubling concept which Charles Bukowski addresses masterfully in his poem ‘Betting on a Muse’, perusing the irrelevancy of those who were once relevant early on, and the reversal of such with himself. He utilizes the classic example of high-school jocks: popular and well-loved in their prime, yet unsuccessful and even destitute in their later years. Bukowski then contrasts this with his inglorious writer self, whose relevancy and skills only increase with time, carrying him into the future. Through the use of imagery, literary devices, structure, voice, and an old-fashioned emotional ideal, Bukowski truly makes good on the notion that ‘forward thinking is the best thinking’.
Imagery and literary devices are used both creatively and ingeniously throughout the piece in order to further impact the reader and truly emphasize Bukowski’s intended meaning for the work. To begin, stark and contrasting imagery is used when discussing the lives of high school jockeys ‘Jack Beau’ and ‘Jimmy Foxx’, along with their former glory. The latter, Jimmy Fox, is described as having “died an alcoholic / in a skidrow hotel”, whereas Beau Jack “ended up shining / shoes, / just where he began”. This creates a depressing, even grim scene in the reader’s mind, one which brings forward emotions of loss and a seeming inability to move forward. This is further compounded by the simile at the end of the first stanza, in which an athlete grown old is an “old man / like other old / men”, bring the reader an even greater sense of