Poetry Assignment #1

Questions based on a poem recited during a Levi comercial.

1. From what poem/author does this commercial borrow (without credit)?

• The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski

2. Why might the use of this poem by a corporation be considered ironic?

•  The irony is in the fact that this poem is written toward an audience that feels like they have no hope in life; an audience that generally wouldn't have money to spend on a nice pair of Levi jeans.

3. Does the poem reflect the reputation of the author? Why/why not?

• The poem does reflect the author's reputation.  Charles Bukowski is known for writing about the social, cultural and economic issues of Los Angeles, his home city.  His poetry is known to speak to individuals.  This particular poem gives hope of finding light in a life you don't particularly feel is very bright.  It could be aimed towards people living in the slums that feel that there is no way out.

4. How did you find the answers to #1 & #3? Describe your research process and your sources in detail.

• I found the answer to question one by typing the first line of the poem into a Google search.  I then went to this website ( http://thebestamericanpoetry.typepad.com/the_best_american_poetry/2008/11/the-laughing-he.html) where there was a full version of the poem and a link for more information about the author.  When I found that the provided link about the author didn't have the information that I was looking for in question three, I googled the authors name and got my information off of Wikipedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bukowski)