the silver mirror, poem by Charles Bukowski, painting by Jocelyne Desforges, after a photo by Joan Gannij

the silver mirror (Excerpt)
by Charles Bukowski

she pulls a large silver mirror 
from her purse
and starts to pencil her eyebrows.
the left eye is bruised where she
fell several nights ago.
the afternoon sun comes through the
blinds behind her…
the afternoon sun seeps through her
red-brown hair. quickly she crosses
her legs, swings her foot up and
down. she drops the silver mirror 
back into her purse, looks up at me – 
her eyes very large and the palest 
green that I have ever seen, and 
down through Georgia and New Orleans 
and up in Maine
the whole world is caught in her glance
and at last
the universe is 
magnificent.

SOURCE: “the silver mirror” appears in Charles Bukowski‘s collection What Matters Most is How Well You Walk Through the Fire.

ART: “Georgia & Hank,” a painting by Jocelyne Desforges, after a photo ©Joan Gannij, appears in the Silver Birch Press Bukowski Anthology, available at Amazon.com.

Note: According to Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet, a memoir by Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood, Charles Bukowski wrote “the silver mirror” for Georgia Peckham-Krellner, who was with Cupcakes the night she met Bukowski. Find the fascinating Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet at Amazon.com.

June 1, 2013 Release: Silver Birch Press SUMMER ANTHOLOGY

On June 1, 2013, Silver Birch Press will release SUMMER: An Eclectic Anthology of Poetry & Prose — a collection of writing from authors around the world.

This “invitation only” anthology will explore all things summer—vacations, travel, adventure, love, romance, the beach, freedom, heat, youth, gardens, swimming, barbecues, suntans, camping, fireworks, and much more.

The SUMMER ANTHOLOGY will also feature a special section about Charles Bukowski—born August 16, 1920. To date, we’ve collected poetry and prose from a range of writers who knew Bukowski — including Pamela Cupcakes Wood, Joan Jobe Smith, A.D. Winans, and Joan Gannij — and we’re expecting many more Bukowski-related contributions.

The Silver Birch Press SUMMER ANTHOLOGY — think of it as a literary beach book. Stay tuned!

And, as always, thank you for visiting our blog! We appreciate your visits, your comments, your likes, and your follows!

The Silver Mirror and Charles Bukowski

They both sat down and announced their ages.

“I’m 32,” said Arlene.

“I’m 23,” said Tammie.

“Add your ages together,” I said, “and you’ve got me.”

Arlene’s hair was long and black. She sat in the chair by the window combing her hair, making up her face, looking into a large silver mirror…

From Chapter 41 of Women, a novel by Charles Bukowski

Note: Arlene was based on Georgia (RIP), who famously posed with Bukowski in front of his refrigerator. (You can google the photos — priceless!) Bukowski also wrote a poem called “The Silver Mirror” about Georgia’s first visit. Tammie was based on Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood, whose memoir of her two-year relationship with Bukowski —  Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet — is available on Amazon.com here.

Bukowski and Cupcakes

From Chapter 17 of Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet by PAMELA “CUPCAKES” WOOD

“…With Bukowski, I could do what I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted. He tolerated just about anything and everything — loud music, outside noise, distractions, boozing, pill popping, singing, or dancing on the tables. There were no rules and no limits — and I liked it that way…I felt as if I were in a safe harbor, where no one would judge me…Most of the time, life was fun with Bukowski — a crazy, relaxed, free-for-all.”

Find the book at Amazon.com here.

Photo courtesy of Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood

Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet by Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood

“The book arrived a few weeks later. It was a beautifully bound hardcover book titled Scarlet. The book was limited to one hundred and eighty copies, forty of which include an original drawing by Bukowski. He inscribed a presentation copy with an original painting on the cover which read: “For Pamela — For the girl who made me write these poems, for the girl who made me feel that feeling which comes so seldom in a lifetime.” He signed it Charles Bukowski and added a drawing of his signature little man smiling, smoking a cigarette, holding a flower in his left hand, with the sun in the form of a heart above him on the right side, and a bird flying above on the left.”

From Chapter 21 of Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet, a Memoir by Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood

Thoughts: I love this memoir. It brings not only Charles Bukowski, but also the fun, freewheeling 1970s to vivid life. Highly recommended! Find the book here.

Sighing with Bukowski

Excerpt from Chapter 22 of the memoir  Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet by Pamela Cupcakes Wood 

Bukowski sighed a lot. To me a sigh means something — I’m sad, I’m tired, I’m depressed, I’m weary. But Bukowski sighed on general principles. It was his reponse to being alive. Sigh…

So I’d try to cheer him up.

“…Let’s go out and do something.”

Sigh.

“Let’s go for a walk.”

Sigh.

“Let’s go out to eat.”

Sigh.

“Let’s go for a drive.”

Sigh.

“Let’s drink some champagne.”

Sigh.

“Let’s go to the track.”

“All right. Let’s go.”

Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet, Pamela Wood’s fun, fascinating memoir about her years with Charles Bukowski  is available here.

Painting: Racehorses in a Landscape (1894) by Edgar Degas

Scarlet’s Roses

Excerpt from Chapter 7 of Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet by Pamela Cupcakes Wood:

     “Come on inside, Kid, I’ve got a surprise for you,” he said, putting his hand behind my elbow and gently guilding me into his place. He led me right to the bedroom.

     On the bed sat a mattress wrapped in cellophane. I moved closer to the bed, bent down, and gazed at the mattress. It was covered in a pattern of roses and vines.

     “It’s so pretty,” I said. “How considerate of you. Did you do this just for me?” I asked, while thinking, “Uh oh.”

     “So, what do you say?” he said.

     “I say we’re going to need some champagne to christen it.”

Put Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet by Pamela Cupcakes Wood at the top of your summer reading list! Find it at Amazon here — special price today, only $12.70 USD.

(Photo and graphic by Silver Birch.)

Hollywood Madonna

For all you Bukowski fans, I’m happy to report that things are pretty much the same on the stretch of Western Avenue between Hollywood Blvd. and Sunset Blvd. in L.A. Silver Birch shot this photo in early 2008 when Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood took me on a tour of her Bukowski haunts while she was working on her fabulous memoir Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet. While I felt a bit guilty snapping a photo of a homeless person, I saw beauty and dignity in this Madonna and wanted to capture her for posterity.

Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet by Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood is available from…

Sun Dog Press

Amazon

Coming Soon! Bukowski’s Women Talk Back…

We are pleased to announce that Silver Birch Press will soon publish a book by renowned poet and famed interviewer Joan Jobe Smith (pictured above right; also pictured are Charles Bukowski muse Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood and poet Fred Voss).

Entitled Charles Bukowski Epic GLOTTIS: His Work & His Women (& me), the book includes rare interviews with many of the women in Bukowski’s life (Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood, Linda King, Frances Dean Smith, and Ann Menebroker), poetry, essays about Bukowski’s public readings, and more. The book  is a must-read for avid followers of the Bukowski canon and a fun introduction to the great writer for people just learning about the poet of Los Angeles. Stay tuned.

Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood (at left in above photo) is the author of a fun, fascinating memoir about her relationship with Bukowski. The book, entitled Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet, is available at Amazon.