looking for a quote about"odds, normal and talent"

[ines.chang]

Hi, everyone! is there any of you who remembers the source of following:

"each person, I think, owns his unique odds, however, because that he wants to be normal, comply to the world, he eliminates his odds, and also, kills his talent."

I got this a few years ago, in a chinese script. From then I started to read Bukowski, but I can not find out its scource.
Thanks a lot!

 

[David]

Do you mean you got it from a Bukowski book translated into Chinese?

 

[ines.chang]

Do you mean you got it from a Bukowski book translated into Chinese?

no, these words were in an chinese article, it marked that out of Bukowski.

 

[hank solo]

Could it have been an interview? It may not have appeared in English.

Otherwise I suspect it's an mistranslation.

 

[Erik]

Perhaps it was in a fortune cookie...

 

[mjp]

It was a Chinese version of Bukowski. It'll be at WalMart this summer for $1.98.

 

[d gray]

it was his asian alter ego Han Chineseski.

you can find it in his "Land of the Rising Drunk: Collected Works Vol. 1"

 

[growing beard]

no, these words were in an chinese article, it marked that out of Bukowski.

chang, it seems possible that the translation you're giving us is causing problems. it might help to move things along if you know somebody who is stronger in written english to translate the passage in question. for example when you say "he eliminates his odds," that is not a formulation that is normally heard from a native english speaker.

bukowski showed a lot of respect for some aspects of the poetry chinese culture, so i think it's cool that you found this forum and want to participate!!