--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: we waste days like mad blackbirds and…" description: "\"“we waste days like mad blackbirds and pray for alcoholic nights our silk-sick human smiles wrap around us like somebody else's confetti”\" — Charles Bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/charles-bukowski-73_alcoholic_we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pr_3092576.jpg" --- # we waste days like mad blackbirds and pray for alcoholic… ![“we waste days like mad blackbirds and pray for alcoholic nights our silk-sick human smiles wrap around us like somebody else's confetti” quote by Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/charles-bukowski-73_alcoholic_we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pr_3092576.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/charles-bukowski-73_alcoholic_we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pr_3092576.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/charles-bukowski-73_alcoholic_we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pr_3092576.jpg) > ““we waste days like mad blackbirds and pray for alcoholic nights our silk-sick human smiles wrap around us like somebody else's confetti”” [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes wasted time, escapism, and superficial happiness masking deeper emptiness. **In simple terms:** We waste days, seek escape, hide behind false smiles. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront superficial coping. Themes existentialism escapism authenticity Mood melancholic reflective Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - daily routines - nightlife - social interactions - self‑reflection Key Concepts nihilism self‑deception human condition Questions to Reflect On - What does true happiness look like for you? - How can you replace empty rituals with meaning? A Different Perspective May romanticize self‑destructive behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alcoholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alcoholic/) ## Related quotes > [We waste days like mad blackbirds and pray for alcoholic nightsour silk-sick human smiles wrap around us like somebody else's confetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pray-for-alcoholic-nightsour/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“You missed it when you pay more attention to the damaged car in the mechanic shop than the sick human being in the hospital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-missed-it-when-you-pay-more-attention-to-the-damaged-car-in-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“I thought: this is how you make a human being. A human being is beautiful and sick. A human being glitters and starves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/i-thought-this-is-how-you-make-a-human-being-a-human-being-is/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“one doesn't even think of the liver and if the liver doesn't think of us, that's fine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/one-doesn-t-even-think-of-the-liver-and-if-the-liver-doesn-t-think-of/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“it does seem the more we drink the better the words go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/it-does-seem-the-more-we-drink-the-better-the-words-go/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [In Stratford you either turn into an alcoholic or you better write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-plummer/in-stratford-you-either-turn-into-an-alcoholic-or-you-better-write/) [Christopher Plummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-plummer/) > [When a woman drinks it's as if an animal were drinking, or a child. Alcoholism is scandalous in a woman, and a female alcoholic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/when-a-woman-drinks-it-s-as-if-an-animal-were-drinking-or-a-child/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [“The alcoholic retains the ability to condemn his addiction and advise those not subject to it to avoid succumbing to the liquid poison. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pitigrilli/the-alcoholic-retains-the-ability-to-condemn-his-addiction-and-advise/) [Pitigrilli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pitigrilli/) > [“Medical research has revealed that in about one-tenth of the population, the liver processes alcohol differently, releasing a chemical messenger that creates the craving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylie-jones/medical-research-has-revealed-that-in-about-one-tenth-of-the/) [Kaylie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylie-jones/) > [There are plenty of alcoholics who can be magnificent when drunk: it does not make them any less alcoholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bengis/there-are-plenty-of-alcoholics-who-can-be-magnificent-when-drunk-it/) [Ingrid Bengis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bengis/) > [Booze is my escape from reality,If your a drinker,You understand,I'm a Alcoholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/booze-is-my-escape-from-reality-if-your-a-drinker-you-understand-i-m/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [I started drinking when I was like 15, and by the time I was 19 everybody knew I was an alcoholic. So I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-esparza/i-started-drinking-when-i-was-like-15-and-by-the-time-i-was-19/) [Felipe Esparza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-esparza/) > [If you decide on having an alcoholic at your party, make sure it's a large gathering. This way, until the alcoholic begins removing their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/if-you-decide-on-having-an-alcoholic-at-your-party-make-sure-it-s-a/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [“Alcoholism is a choice... not a life sentence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-norman/alcoholism-is-a-choice-not-a-life-sentence/) David Norman > [“I'm an alcoholic, Tara.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaci-burton/i-m-an-alcoholic-tara/) [Jaci Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaci-burton/) ## More by Charles Bukowski > [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [well, death says, as he walks by, I'm going to get you anyhow no matter what you've been: writer, cab-driver, pimp, butcher, sky-diver, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/well-death-says-as-he-walks-by-i-m-going-to-get-you-anyhow-no-matter/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“There is only one place to write and that is alone at a typewriter. A writer who has to go into the streets is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/there-is-only-one-place-to-write-and-that-is-alone-at-a-typewriter-a/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“nerves twitching in the sheets -- to face the sunlight again, that's clearly trouble. I like the city better when the neon lights are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/nerves-twitching-in-the-sheets-to-face-the-sunlight-again-that-s/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Their Love Is Average, Seeks Average But There Is Genius In Their Hatred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/their-love-is-average-seeks-average-but-there-is-genius-in-their/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I climbed the stairway (there was no elevator) and put the key in. The door swung open. Somebody had changed all the furniture around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-climbed-the-stairway-there-was-no-elevator-and-put-the-key-in-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Strangers when you meet, strangers when you part -a gymnasium of bodies namelessly masturbating each other. People with no morals often considered themselves more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/strangers-when-you-meet-strangers-when-you-part-a-gymnasium-of-bodies/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I like to change liquor stores frequently because the clerks got to know your habits if you went in night and day and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-like-to-change-liquor-stores-frequently-because-the-clerks-got-to/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I was like a turd that drew flies instead of like a flower that butterflies and bees desired. I wanted to live alone,I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-like-a-turd-that-drew-flies-instead-of-like-a-flower-that/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [It's 4:30 in the morning, it's always 4:30 in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/it-s-4-30-in-the-morning-it-s-always-4-30-in-the-morning/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I had no feeling for the things so many others needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-had-no-feeling-for-the-things-so-many-others-needed/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I am sick with caring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-sick-with-caring/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I went home each night dizzy and sick. He was murdering me with the sound of his voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-went-home-each-night-dizzy-and-sick-he-was-murdering-me-with-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“the nights you fight best are when all the weapons are pointed at you, when all the voices hurl their insults while the dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-nights-you-fight-best-are-when-all-the-weapons-are-pointed-at-you/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) [Explore all 1,492 Charles Bukowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## More Alcoholic quotes > [“I'm an alcoholic, Tara.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaci-burton/i-m-an-alcoholic-tara/) [Jaci Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaci-burton/) > [“Alcoholism is a choice... not a life sentence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-norman/alcoholism-is-a-choice-not-a-life-sentence/) David Norman > [If you decide on having an alcoholic at your party, make sure it's a large gathering. This way, until the alcoholic begins removing their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/if-you-decide-on-having-an-alcoholic-at-your-party-make-sure-it-s-a/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [I started drinking when I was like 15, and by the time I was 19 everybody knew I was an alcoholic. So I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-esparza/i-started-drinking-when-i-was-like-15-and-by-the-time-i-was-19/) [Felipe Esparza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-esparza/) > [Booze is my escape from reality,If your a drinker,You understand,I'm a Alcoholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/booze-is-my-escape-from-reality-if-your-a-drinker-you-understand-i-m/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [There are plenty of alcoholics who can be magnificent when drunk: it does not make them any less alcoholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bengis/there-are-plenty-of-alcoholics-who-can-be-magnificent-when-drunk-it/) [Ingrid Bengis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bengis/) > [“Medical research has revealed that in about one-tenth of the population, the liver processes alcohol differently, releasing a chemical messenger that creates the craving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylie-jones/medical-research-has-revealed-that-in-about-one-tenth-of-the/) [Kaylie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylie-jones/) > [“The alcoholic retains the ability to condemn his addiction and advise those not subject to it to avoid succumbing to the liquid poison. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pitigrilli/the-alcoholic-retains-the-ability-to-condemn-his-addiction-and-advise/) [Pitigrilli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pitigrilli/) > [When a woman drinks it's as if an animal were drinking, or a child. Alcoholism is scandalous in a woman, and a female alcoholic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/when-a-woman-drinks-it-s-as-if-an-animal-were-drinking-or-a-child/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [In Stratford you either turn into an alcoholic or you better write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-plummer/in-stratford-you-either-turn-into-an-alcoholic-or-you-better-write/) [Christopher Plummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-plummer/) > [I don't like the word 'alcoholic'. I like to think of myself as an advanced drinker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/i-don-t-like-the-word-alcoholic-i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-an/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [Because I know I'm an addict, and I know I'm an alcoholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lee-curtis/because-i-know-i-m-an-addict-and-i-know-i-m-an-alcoholic/) [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lee-curtis/) > [Rumor had it that he was homosexual; in reality, in recent years, he was simply a garden-variety alcoholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/rumor-had-it-that-he-was-homosexual-in-reality-in-recent-years-he-was/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [More than most people, the alcoholic leads a double life. He is very much the actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-w/more-than-most-people-the-alcoholic-leads-a-double-life-he-is-very/) [Bill W](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-w/) > [“He’s downed four drinks in the short time it took for me to get myself together and find him. Either he’s shaken by something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ee/he-s-downed-four-drinks-in-the-short-time-it-took-for-me-to-get/) [Susan Ee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ee/) [Browse all 303 Alcoholic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alcoholic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“we waste days like mad blackbirds and pray for alcoholic nights our silk-sick human smiles wrap around us like somebody else's confetti”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Bukowski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pray-for-alcoholic-nights-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alcoholic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pray-for-alcoholic-nights-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/charles-bukowski-73_alcoholic_we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pr_3092576.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/charles-bukowski-73_alcoholic_we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pr_3092576.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/charles-bukowski-73_alcoholic_we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pr_3092576.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“we waste days like mad blackbirds and pray for alcoholic nights our silk-sick human smiles wrap around us…” — Charles Bukowski", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Bukowski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“we waste days like mad blackbirds...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pray-for-alcoholic-nights-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/we-waste-days-like-mad-blackbirds-and-pray-for-alcoholic-nights-our/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```