Skip to content

Animals Quote by Charles Bukowski

“Beasts bounding through time. Van Gogh writing his brother for paints Hemingway testing his shotgun Celine going broke as a doctor of medicine the impossibility of being human Villon expelled from Paris for being a thief Faulkner drunk in the gutters of his town the impossibility of being human…” quote by Charles Bukowski
Download Open image
““Beasts bounding through time. Van Gogh writing his brother for paints Hemingway testing his shotgun Celine going broke as a doctor of medicine the impossibility of being human Villon expelled from Paris for being a thief Faulkner drunk in the gutters of his town the impossibility of being human Burroughs killing his wife with a gun Mailer stabbing his the impossibility of being human Maupassant going mad in a rowboat Dostoevsky lined up against a wall to be shot Crane off the back of a boat into the propeller the impossibility Sylvia with her head in the oven like a baked potato Harry Crosby leaping into that Black Sun Lorca murdered in the road by the Spanish troops the impossibility Artaud sitting on a madhouse bench Chatterton drinking rat poison Shakespeare a plagiarist Beethoven with a horn stuck into his head against deafness the impossibility the impossibility Nietzsche gone totally mad the impossibility of being human all too human this breathing in and out out and in these punks these cowards these champions these mad dogs of glory moving this little bit of light toward us impossibly””

Charles Bukowski

About This Quote

Source Poem: “The Impossibility of Being Human” by Charles Bukowski, 1990s

The quote lists a series of artists and writers confronting extreme personal and societal struggles, highlighting the recurring theme of human suffering and the paradox of creative brilliance amidst madness.

In simple terms: Artists face suffering while creating greatness.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the fragile humanity behind brilliance.

Themes

creativity madness human suffering artistic struggle paradox

Mood

melancholic introspective defiant

Type

literary philosophical poetic

When to use this quote

  • writing workshops
  • mental health support
  • art therapy
  • historical analysis
  • cultural studies

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology literary criticism

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does suffering influence artistic output?
  • Can creativity thrive without anguish?
A Different Perspective

The list idealizes suffering, overlooking resilience and recovery.

3.2 out of 5 (5 ratings)

More by Charles Bukowski

Explore all 1,492 Charles Bukowski quotes

More Animals quotes

Browse all 6,815 Animals quotes