In mid-1958, the time of the earliest letters available, Bukowski had recently begun working in the post office in a permanent position as a mail sorter, after an earlier spell of three years as a mail carrier. Not long before, he had resumed writing after a ten-year interval, and by now had a handful of little magazine publications. E. V. Griffith, editor of Hearse magazine, had agreed to do a chapbook. But the delay in publication was to test Bukowski’s patience to the limit. He finally received his author’s copies in October, 1960.

Until May 1, 1964, Bukowski’s letters are dated from 1623 N. Mariposa Avenue, Los Angeles 27, California.

(The following letter is printed in full.)

[To E. V. Griffith]
June 6, 1958

Dear E. V. Griffith:

Here are some more. Thanks for returning others. No title ideas yet. Post office pen no damn good. Trying to say—no title ideas yet.

Fire, Fist and Bestial Wail? No. Thought about using title of one of my short stories—“Confessions of a Coward and Man Hater.” No.

“The Mourning, Morning Sunrise.” No.

I don’t know, E. V.

I don’t know.

Anyhow, I’m thinking about it.

Sincerely,
Charles Bukowski

Gil Orlovitz (1918-1973) frequently published pamphlets of verse.

[To E. V. Griffith]

July 9, 1958

I still think Flower, Fist and Bestial Wail just about covers the nature of my work. If you object to this title I’ll send along some others.

I’m quite pleased with your selections. “The Birds,” which I had just written, I like personally but I found others would not like this type of thing because of its philosophical oddity. Poem, by the way, is factual and not fictional. All of my stuff you have is, except “59 and drinks” & “[Some Notes of Dr.] Klarstein.”

Thanks for sending Arrows of Longing.

As to Orlovitz, I find him at his best, very good. Certainly his delivery seems original.

Do you have my short stories about anywhere?

I suppose I mentioned I unloaded one at Coastlines and a couple at Views (Univ. of Louisville), but I think what you picked is pretty much my best stuff, and I have been honored to have been singled out by you and gathered up this way.

• 1959 •

Griffith published Carl Larsen’s Arrows of Longing as Hearse Chapbook no. 1 in 1958. He was also the editor of Gallows, in the first issue of which Bukowski had two poems printed.

[To E. V. Griffith]

August 10, 1959

Verification of existence substantiated.

I am alive and drinking beer. As to the literary aspect, I have appeared recently in Nomad #1, Coastlines (spring ’59), Quicksilver (summer ’59) and Epos (summer ’59). I haven’t submitted further to you because I have sensed that you are overstocked.