the Whitsun Weddings

This book is another poetry collection by Philip Larkin, and I enjoyed it just as much as the last one. Ignorance and the Importance of Elsewhere in particular resonated with me. I'm struggling however to learn much about the poetic craft itself from my readings of Larkin; skilled with words as he is it's quite hard to identify exactly what it is he's doing that is distinctive, but there certainly is something, as his poems ring with a style and character that is uniquely his. That said, I didn't read this just to steal ideas for my own poetic writings, and I did again very much enjoy it. A solid recommendation to anyone who likes original, striking poetry.

High Windows

This book is a collection of poetry by Philip Larkin, who I'd never seriously read before. I really enjoyed this collection; Larkin's poetry has an energy to it that I'm trying very hard to think of a better word than spunk - he takes relatively simple poetic forms and turns them into shocking, or funny, or unexpectedly both As Well As poignant things. This Be The Verse is probably my fave single poem from this collection, though that's probably just because I have a very amusing memory of a poet-friend of mine performing it live to the Match of the Day theme. All in all, a highly rewarding, engaging and accessible poetry collection.