Poem Analysis

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Poem Analysis
“There’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out” (Bukowski 1), in this case, the writer uses the bluebird as a metaphor in the poem to describe the feelings in his heart. It is an emotional demonstration that the poet demonstrates to the audience in an attempt to discuss his true feelings. He, however, does not express his feelings freely for fear of being made fun of by some quarters in the society. It is a gesture that the poet uses to justify his feelings to the audience who might not know the exact nature of his emotions. “You want to blow my book sale in Europe?”(Bukowski 1). The poet means this statement in a passive-aggressive manner to bring out an actual feeling of emotions. An aggressive-passive manner that the poet uses to communicate in the poem helps the audience to understand the direction where the poem is heading in terms of emotional feelings of the poet.
When the poet says that he is too strong in the poem, he basically says that in a partial manner. He is using the term “strength” to explain the mask that an individual would wear to hide the emotions experienced regarding some issues. It does not necessarily refer to the real strength. The writer of the poem numerously writes “there’s a bluebird in my heart that/wants to get out/but I’m too tough for him” (Bukowski 1). In this case, the writer is basically referring to himself and the feelings that are wearing him down regarding the issue at hand. He quickly asserts that he is strong enough to grasp the bluebird and prevent it from escaping his heart.

In this case, the writer does not mean the real strength but the mask to shield him from the emotional distress.
The use of metaphor in the poem enables the writer to explain his verdict relating to the emotions that have engulfed his heart. It is also a better way for the readers to understand his ideology regarding his writing. Using a metaphor in the poem enables the writer to plant an imagination into the minds of readers regarding a particular bird that is caged and almost passing away. The death of the bird would affect a lot of things, which would result in a sad event. The passing away of the bird would also mean that all the innocent lives would perish together with the virtues that they represent. Since the bluebird in this poem does not refer to an actual bird, the writer used it to describe his caged heart that is filled with emotions. The death of the bird would mean that the emotions took a toll on the writer who eventually gave up the fight. It is an accurate metaphor that the writer uses to inspire his audience.
The writer further mentions alcohol, prostitution, and smoking in the poem as metaphors for escape. The writer indicates that the three metaphors are taking a toll on his life, which brings out the emotional feelings in place. Even though the writer does not indicate indulgence in any alcoholic, smoking or prostitution behavior, he mentions the three behavioral aspects of human beings as an escape route of his struggles. The use of these metaphors further strengthens the belief that the writer is undergoing some struggles in his life. The theme of emotion is most evident in the poem because of the writer’s feelings that seem to be broken. It is evident when the writer uses the “caged bird” to demonstrate his exact feelings in the poem. The poem says that emotion makes one vulnerable, which can be considered as a true fact while reflecting on the writer’s struggles.
The poem further confirms the writer’s fears when he uses a mask to hide his frustrations in an attempt to escape ridicule. Charles Bukowski explains that he considers the emotions that have taken a toll on him as a weakness that he does not want to showcase to the outside world. He does not want the outside world to witness his weakness because it is a sign of feminism. However, Charles Bukowski admits that the emotion demonstrates another fact when he says, “but I’m too clever, I only let him out at night sometimes when everyone is asleep” (Bukowski 1). In this quote, he uses the bluebird in reference to his feelings that he only let out at specific times, which, in this case, is at night. Even though the emotional feelings of the writer have come to light, he denies shedding a tear due to the struggles in his life. In this regard, the readers can argue that Charles Bukowski attempted to end his poem in a different circumstance to the readers’ perceptions. The poem criticizes the manner in which the society is so quick at judging an individual’s struggles before getting to the bottom of the matter. The strength perception should not be viewed in an aggressive manner in some aspects but a way to pass passive information.
Work Cited
Bukowski, C. Bluebird Analysis. Literary Devices: 2015. Retrieved from:
https://sunnypatel1.wordpress.com/2015/07/10/poem-5-bluebird-by-charles-bukowskianalysis/