Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Old" by Charles Bukowski is a raw and unflinching meditation on aging, mortality, and the societal attitudes towards the elderly. Through the lens of a visit to the racetrack, a place teeming with life yet shadowed by the specter of decay, Bukowski confronts the inevitability of aging and the often uncomfortable truths about the value and perception of life in its twilight years.

The poem opens with a stark depiction of the old men at the racetrack, "bent, carry canes, their hands tremble," immediately setting a scene of physical decline and vulnerability. Bukowski positions himself alongside these men, riding up the escalators with them in silence, a shared journey that speaks to the universal path towards aging, yet marked by an isolating lack of communication. This silence among them underscores a collective resignation or perhaps a mutual understanding too profound for words.

Bukowski's reflection on his own age, "I am older than most of them," introduces a personal dimension to the poem, blurring the lines between observer and participant. His questioning of their motivations—"do they still hope to win the Pulitzer Prize or to cup the breasts of young maidens in their hands?"—is both cynical and poignant, suggesting a critique of society's tendency to dismiss the dreams and desires of the elderly as irrelevant or inappropriate.

The poem then takes a darker turn, questioning the value of lingering in old age, "why don't they just finish and die?" This rhetorical question confronts the taboo subject of death with characteristic Bukowski bluntness, challenging the reader to consider the dignity, or lack thereof, in clinging to life beyond its perceived usefulness or joy. The mention of taking "2 or 3 of them, or a half-dozen, a dozen" with him in death reflects a nihilistic generosity, a willingness to embrace the end not just for oneself but for others deemed to be suffering through the indignities of old age.

Bukowski's critique extends to the societal reverence for the elderly, which he sees as misguided and based on a biological imperative rather than merit, "it's just the stubbornness of genes, a trick to keep a void existing." This perspective presents aging not as a phase of wisdom and honor but as an extended play of survival instincts, devoid of inherent value. His assertion that most have lived lives "of obedience and cowardliness" is a damning indictment of the unfulfilled potential and regret that he perceives to define the human condition.

The call to "honor the young" instead of the old, for their lives "are just beginning to rot," flips traditional values on their head, suggesting that youth, in its proximity to life's potential, is more worthy of respect than age, which he sees as synonymous with decay. Yet, even this is undercut by Bukowski's ultimate dismissal of honoring anyone, highlighting a profound skepticism of societal conventions and the authenticity of accolades.

"Old" is a powerful reflection on the discomforts and indignities of aging, delivered with Bukowski's trademark candor and sharp wit. It challenges the reader to confront their own biases and fears about growing old, questioning the value we assign to different stages of life and the often uncomfortable reality of our final years. Through this poem, Bukowski invites a reevaluation of what it means to age, to live, and to die, stripping away romanticized notions to reveal the stark and sometimes brutal truths of the human experience.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Il_grande/M_nE4jrrCxMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=OLD

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