Charles Bukowski Signed Manuscript: poet and poetess (1976)

The poetess Diane Wajonowsky in this poem is a very thinly disguised reference to accomplished poet Diane Wakoski. During her career, over 60 collections of her poetry and prose were published and her honors included a Fulbright fellowship and grants from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. She also taught for many years at Michigan State University.

In terms of her connection to Bukowski, the two appeared in many of the same poetry journals during the 1960s and 1970s, often in the same issues. But perhaps their closest link was the 1976 Black Sparrow Press New Years Greeting. Beginning with the 1970 greeting and continuing long after his death, Bukowski was the sole writer in all but the 1976 greeting. This he shared with Wakoski.

poet and poetess was also written in 1976 and, if I was a betting man, I’d say the book was lying around Bukowski’s apartment when the argument ensued. The female in the argument was most likely Pamela "Cupcakes" Miller. It was getting near the end of their relationship and the ups and downs were mostly downs at this point.

The manuscript is signed by Bukowski and dated “10-13-76” – just a few days after Bukowski met Linda Lee Beighle for the first time at one of his readings at the Troubadour. Linda Lee would go on to be his future wife.

The manuscript lists his Carlton Way apartment. There are several hand corrections and a masked beginning of the original title he had in mind. The poem was folded once, but the crease is very light. There are some scratches from the carbon paper that almost seem artistic in nature.

The poem would later appear in Second Coming Vol. 5, No. 1, in 1977, but has not be collected in any Bukowski books.

The manuscript comes with a lettered copy of the 1976 Black Sparrow New Years Greeting. It is signed by both Wakoskiand Bukowski on the colophon, with a hand printed letter “Q”. Bukowski’s poem is titled Tough Company and Wakoski’s is titled “The Last Poem”. The book is in Fine condition with a red, very stiff book jacket that has protected the book very well.

Case 5 and Case 8