It Catches My Heart in Its Hands

poetry by Bukowski

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July 15, 2026

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It Catches My Heart in Its Hands is a poetry collection by Charles Bukowski, published in 1963. The collection features poems that focus on themes of alcoholics, prostitutes, gamblers, and other individuals living on the fringes of society. Bukowski, known for his raw and often graphic language, depicted survival in a corrupt world. This collection contributed to his growing popularity among underground literary circles before his death in 1994, by which time he had become an established figure in the 20th-century literary canon.1

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Charles Bukowski
…1963, the year he published It Catches My Heart in Its Hands—a collection of poetry about alcoholics, prostitutes, losing gamblers, and down-and-out people—Bukowski had a loyal following. Notable later poetry collections include Mockingbird Wish Me Luck (1972), Love Is a Dog from Hell (1977), War All the Time (1984), and…
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…1963, the year he published It Catches My Heart in Its Hands—a collection of poetry about alcoholics, prostitutes, losing gamblers, and down-and-out people—Bukowski had a loyal following. Notable later poetry collections include Mockingbird Wish Me Luck (1972), Love Is a Dog from Hell (1977), War All the Time (1984), and…
Read More