Tom Waits recites "The Laughing Heart"

- Tom Waits recites "The Laughing Heart", Bono recites "Roll The Dice"

"The Laughing Heart"

your life is your life
don't let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can't beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

"Roll The Dice"

f you're going to try, go all the
way.
otherwise, don't even start.

if you're going to try, go all the
way.
this could mean losing girlfriends,
wives, relatives, jobs and
maybe your mind.

go all the way.
it could mean not eating for 3 or 4 days.
it could mean freezing on a
park bench.
it could mean jail,
it could mean derision,
mockery,
isolation.
isolation is the gift,
all the others are a test of your
endurance, of
how much you really want to
do it.
and you'll do it
despite rejection and the worst odds
and it will be better than
anything else
you can imagine.

if you're going to try,
go all the way.
there is no other feeling like
that.
you will be alone with the gods
and the nights will flame with
fire.

do it, do it, do it.

all the way
all the way.

you will ride life straight to
perfect laughter, its
the only good fight
there is.

Henry Charles Bukowski (August 16, 1920 - March 9, 1994)

Category:

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• Bukowski
• Laughing
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• Roll
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• Dice
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• Poem

[thereeder]

ugh bono.

tom waits on the other hand. amazing.

[Focoist911]

When I see Bono's face I just see "King of FuckKnobs"

[ArtistKGH]

May we learn from the haters destructive nature and inevitable lack of accomplishments.

[ausaiden]

People are funny.. they say they know what the words mean and then they clearly show they have no idea. Maybe they should listen to the words coming out of Bono's mouth again instead of hatin' in his face. Besides if you took the time to research where Bono came from, you might realize that there isn't blue l.e.d lights and daddies pay check in every persons childhood.

[johnyard]

@Burncourtable You sure about that? In the Doc Born into This it was Bukowski's wife Linda who was the U2 fan. and In one of his novels(Hollywood?) Bukowski takes a veiled jab at Bono. I don't think they were mates... Sean Penn was but not Bono. Hank had better taste than that... which is more than i can say for most people.

[Burncourtable]

Bono was good mates with Bukowski so you Bono haters can all go fuck yourself. Bukowski went to see U2 and Bono dedicated a song to him. Usually the people who hate on Bono are selfish music snobs who have never done anything for humanity. Jesus man... live and let live.

[Burncourtable]

Bono---'Bukowski's an incredible character. He came to see us play. He said {adopts gravelly American accent), "I haven't been to a rock show since the early '70s", and Larry sang "Dirty Old Town" for him and dedicated it to him. And he is this 75-year-old hard-ass with tears in his eyes.

[LinusVanPelt111]

@johnyard

You doubt Bono experienced anything in the poem??? Do you even understand what this poem tries to convey?

It is the story of Bono's life, and I'm saying that while not even being a big fan of the man...

It is about leading life without fear, doing something with belief and steely determination. Not making calculations and obeying to comfort only... Do you think Bono would come to the place where he is now if he hadn't followed the philosophy this poem is preaching?

[crockettjvinson]

tom waits looks like mark lanegan.

[swedishbutcher]

give bono a break he´s chillin with tom waits and u r not

[THAB05S]

WTF! Did this Bono guy or CHARLES BUKOWSKI write these poems?