This is a two-page, signed and dated manuscript by Charles Bukowski.
The poem was later included in the book, “Sifting Through the Madness for the Word, the Line, the Way”, published by Ecco in 2004. However, editor John Martin apparently felt “dung” was a naughty word, so he retitled it, “Like A Polluted River Flowing”.
As stated in the letter of authenticity, the manuscript is a file copy but is hand-signed and dated by Charles Bukowski in black ink.
Once he began working with Black Sparrow Press publisher John Martin in the late 1960s, Bukowski began to keep carbons or copies of the poems he sent out to magazines for publication. Martin would collect the file copies until he had enough quality poems to publish a book.
The letter of authenticity comes from Scott Harrison of Abandoned Planet Bookstore. Harrison was a friend of Martin’s and has a strong reputation among Bukowski collectors for selling authentic manuscripts.
This copy has some light wrinkles and a light stain below Bukowski’s signature. Bukowski also chose some very 1990s fonts on his Mac.
The manuscript comes with a First Edition/First Printing copy of “Sifting Through the Madness for the Word, the Line, the Way”, which is in Near Fine + condition.
A letter of authenticity will also be provided by The Buk Shop.
Shelf 3 and Case 5.
