Going All the Way by Charles Bukowski Poem Analysis
Artwork by Sofia Perez Avila
Poem:
If you’re going to try, go all the way.
Otherwise, don’t even start.
If you're going to try, go all the way.
This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives, jobs and maybe even your mind.
It could mean not eating for three or four days.
It could mean freezing on a park bench.
It could mean jail.
It could mean derision, mockery, isolation.
Isolation is the gift.
All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it.
And, you’ll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds.
And it will be better than anything else you can imagine.
If you’re going to try, go all the way.
There is no other feeling like that.
You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire.
DO IT. DO IT. DO IT. All the way
You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It’s the only good fight there is
My thoughts:
There are moments when life whispers a dare to us: If you’re going to try, go all the way. Charles Bukowski’s words don’t sugarcoat what “all the way” really means; it's sacrifice, struggle, rejection, and at times, unbearable solitude. But hidden inside that chaos is the purest form of freedom.
This isn’t advice for dabblers or half-hearted attempts. It’s a manifesto for those who feel an unshakable calling whether that’s art, business, writing, or any pursuit that ignites the soul. To go all the way means choosing the path of risk over comfort, growth over safety, and authenticity over approval.
Bukowski reminds us that the price is high. You may lose relationships, jobs, or the false sense of security that comes with blending in. You may face criticism, mockery, and silence where you hoped for applause. But, every test strips away the unnecessary until only what truly matters remains: your devotion to the work itself.
And that’s where the magic lies. When you go all the way, you stop measuring your life by society’s timelines or benchmarks. Instead, you measure it in fire, in the sheer joy of doing the thing you were born to do fully, unapologetically, relentlessly.
Isolation becomes not a punishment, but a gift. In that space, the distractions fall quiet, and you discover your own voice. And when you reach that point, Bukowski says, the nights will flame with fire and you'll experience something beyond comfort, beyond recognition. You’ll taste a freedom that makes every sacrifice worth it.
So, if you’re going to try, don’t dabble. Don’t play safe. Don’t settle for anything. Go all the way. Because as Bukowski puts it, “It’s the only good fight there is.”
Best Wishes
Cosmos Creatives
