Charles Bukowski's poems rise from the depths of society, venting his personal experiences in a dark, but often humorous narrative. Despite his disgust towards social conformism and the American government, Bukowski is still generally considered an iconic figure of American literature. A contradiction with Bukowski's anti-American views is the emphasis placed on the values ​​of freedom and independence in his poems: yellow taxi, I too have shit stains in my underwear and quiet, clean girls in checked dresses. These poems reinforce Bukowski as a cynical critic of bourgeois society, often targeting women; it would be foolish to blind one's opinion to whether he was anti-American or not, as such generalizations rarely fit an individual perfectly. The reason why Charles Bukowski criticizes and mocks conformed societies can be discovered through the analysis of his life. Charles Bukowski (1920-1994) was born in post-war Germany, but soon after emigrated to America with his German mother and violent American father ( Frost, 2002 ). Bukowski was isolated in his youth, contracting blood poisoning that caused severe acne, leaving him with permanent scars on his face. According to Bukowski, his father beat him severely to vent his personal depression; this led him to despise both his father and mother because she never tried to stop the beatings. Bukowski met a lifelong friend, alcohol, at the beginning of his adolescence (Frost, 2002). Shunned by his peers because of his appearance and beaten helplessly by his father, these events likely entrenched his self-confidence and disdain for conformity in his life as a writer. Bukowski attended college in Los Angeles, but dropped out, leading to a decade-long stint as an alcoholic. Isolated throughout his life, Bukowski's work incorporates vulgar humor to narrate his miserable and pathetic experiences. Works Cited Bukowski, Charles, “I have shit stains on my underwear too” Love is a dog from hell / Poems 1974-1977. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers Inc. 1977. 209. Print.Bukowski, Charles, “quiet, clean girls in gingham dresses…” Love is a Dog from Hell / Poems 1974-1977. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers Inc. 1977. 74-75. Print.Bukowski, Charles, “yellow taxi” Love is a Dog from Hell / Poems 1974-1977. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers Inc. 1977. 150-151. Print.Frost, Adam, Online Literary Biography “Bukowski, Charles”. Cambridge: 2002. Literature Online. Network. November 30, 2011. "Bukowski, Charles (1920-1994)." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Gale World History in Context. Network. November 30. 2011.