"Let it Enfold You" by Charles Bukowski

Implicit Argument: It does not look like an argument, but persuades the audience at a certain point of view. Charles Bukowski, for example, uses implicit argument in his poem "Let it Enfold You" by expressing emotions and symbolism which make the implicit arguments more obvious.

The title of Bukowski's poem "Let it Enfold You" is an implicit argument. Thus the title means whatever good or bad comes in your way, you should embrace it and in return accept it. Bukowski, of course, elaborates a lot more about the title through out the poem but he catches the readers attention at the beginning of the poem as uses a "hook" to catch the readers attention. He began the poem by saying " either peace or happiness let it enfold you" which also engaged the readers into his poem.
The first part of his poem, he talks about his negative personality and about his hatred towards everything in life. His attitude then mellows out when he comes to realize life's details and along with people's personalities. He mentions:

"I wasn't different from the others,
I was the same, they were fulsome
with hatred"

At this point in the poem he begins to realize that he was not the only person in this world who hated everything. Other people were just as bad as he was and their ugly personalities mirrored his personality which kind of gave him a reality check. He mentioned people as "fulsome with hatred glossed over petty grievances".
Around the middle of the poem Bukowski opens up into a more positive person. This is how he expresses his change:

"I re-formulated I dont know
when, dark time all that
but the change occurred
something in me relaxed,
smoothed out."

Like he said, he "re-formulated" into a happier person and it is the only time he feels at ease when he said "relaxed, smoothed out". Other things also began to comfort him like:

"... coffee cups
lined up behind a counter in a
cafe...or the way the mouse
on my dresser stopped there
with its body, its ears, its nose...
a bit of life caught me within itself
and its eyes looked at me and
they were beautiful."

In this part of the poem he began to notice and enjoy life's simplicities. The way he observes the coffee cups in the counter and the mouses physical appearance were all considered beautiful in his eyes. He felt closer to life other than battling life everyday.
After he realized his hatefulness towards everything was an absolute wast of time he finally admitted:

"I no longer has to prove
that I was a man, I
didn't have to prove anything..."

These lines tell the reader that at some point he thought he was unique by going against everything that ordinary person usually went for. Going against everything, to him, was a manly attempt because he did not see himself as part of the crowd. But now he feels that it does not matter what kind of person he is or what he is turning into because he is finally accepting himself as a person. He is also accepting happiness which had saved his life when he attempt to commit suicide:

"The Knife got near my throat
I almost turned on the gas
again but when the good
moments arrived again...
I let them take me
I luxuriated in them,
I bade them welcome."

In other words, the writer wanted to kill himself but at the same time he cant because he knows that there is more in life then just hate and vulgarity. When he said " the good moments arrived again " he reminded himself why he was still living, because he had the opportunity to enjoy a part of the world he is still trying to get acquainted too.
Towards the end of the Poem Bukowski mentions his wife. He said:

"I finally discovered real
feelings for others...I saw
my wife in bed...I kissed
her in the forehead."

In this part of the poem Bukowski is showing is love for his wife and appreciating her presence other than sex. The fact that he is expressing his love for her is another big symbol in this poem because it is something that is conquering his emotions and succeeding.

The end of the poem the he leaves his home and "entered the world once more" meaning that he was ready had to face the world another day, another step. A place where he has to overcome his obstacle and face what he once thought of as a trivial planet.