This is a wonderful poem by Charles Bukowski. It's about remaining fluid, creative, independent and present in life.
I'll give you my thoughts below the poem, but first I'll let you read through and establish your own without my influence.
No Leaders Please
invent yourself and then reinvent yourself,
don’t swim in the same slough.
invent yourself and then reinvent yourself
and
stay out of the clutches of mediocrity.
invent yourself and then reinvent yourself,
change your tone and shape so often that they can
never
categorize you.
reinvigorate yourself and
accept what is
but only on the terms that you have invented
and reinvented.
be self-taught.
and reinvent your life because you must;
it is your life and
its history
and the present
belong only to
you.
Charles Bukowski
Why I Love This Poem
‘No Leaders Please' is a powerful reminder to remain a free spirit, to break free of conformity, to never let people put you in a box and stick a label on it that says “this is who you are and what you are like”.
Even if that label is flattering, we should remain aware that it can become defining and ultimately restrictive. It can make us stagnate and allow our lives to be defined by the opinions of others, and by the past.
It is a reminder to retain our independence and live life on our terms. Bukowski warns us of remaining static and swimming “in the same slough”, which inevitably leads to the “clutches of mediocrity”, as he puts it.
Although the poem doesn't mention leaders, the title does, and the content suggests a rejection of leadership, particularly the line “be self-taught”.
Throughout our lives we are continually presented with leaders in different guises, many of whom have an agenda such as pride or money; many of whom do not have our best interests at heart and seek only to further their goals.
Allowing such people to lead you and dictate your life can result in living life on terms other than your own. If you “change your tone and shape so often…they can never categorize you”.
So yes it's important to listen and learn, but even more important to continue upon a journey of self-learning and keep advancing our knowledge: to question everything, particularly our own thoughts and opinions and not just those of others.
One slightly ambiguous part is the last three words of the following line; “reinvent your life because you must“. To me this suggests that to not do so would be to risk your freedom; your happiness; the point of life, perhaps.
The poem is a powerful reminder to retain that child-like creativity that enables us to reinvent ourselves and find new passion in life: new interests, new hobbies, new learnings.
This “is your life” and you must write your own story.
Because “its history and the present belong only to you”.
Of course, this is just a brief summary of my interpretation. Poetry can mean different things to different people; that's the beauty of it.
This poem was taken from the book The Pleasures of the Damned – selected poems 1951 to 1993 – by Charles Bukowski.
> Click here to buy this book and other Bukowski poetry
