Goodreads helps you follow your favorite authors. Be the first to learn about new releases!
Start by following Tony Harrison.
Showing 1-9 of 9
“Weeping for the dead's a waste of breath -
they're lucky, they can't die again.”
―
they're lucky, they can't die again.”
―
“Long Distance II
Though my mother was already two years dead
Dad kept her slippers warming by the gas,
put hot water bottles her side of the bed
and still went to renew her transport pass.
You couldn’t just drop in. You had to phone.
He’d put you off an hour to give him time
to clear away her things and look alone
as though his still raw love were such a crime.
He couldn’t risk my blight of disbelief
though sure that very soon he’d hear her key
scrape in the rusted lock and end his grief.
He knew she’d just popped out to get the tea.
I believe life ends with death, and that is all.
You haven’t both gone shopping; just the same,
in my new black leather phone book there’s your name
and the disconnected number I still call.”
― Selected Poems
Though my mother was already two years dead
Dad kept her slippers warming by the gas,
put hot water bottles her side of the bed
and still went to renew her transport pass.
You couldn’t just drop in. You had to phone.
He’d put you off an hour to give him time
to clear away her things and look alone
as though his still raw love were such a crime.
He couldn’t risk my blight of disbelief
though sure that very soon he’d hear her key
scrape in the rusted lock and end his grief.
He knew she’d just popped out to get the tea.
I believe life ends with death, and that is all.
You haven’t both gone shopping; just the same,
in my new black leather phone book there’s your name
and the disconnected number I still call.”
― Selected Poems
“Sweet pulp and sour skin -
Or was it sweet outside, and sour within?”
―
Or was it sweet outside, and sour within?”
―
“Our heads will happen cold when this is found.”
―
―
“Poetry's the speech of kings. You're one of those
Shakespeare gives the comic bits to: prose!
All poetry (even Cockney Keats?) you see
's been dubbed by [Us] into RP,
Received Pronunciation, please believe [Us]
your speech is in the hands of the Receivers.”
― Permanently Bard: Selected Poetry
Shakespeare gives the comic bits to: prose!
All poetry (even Cockney Keats?) you see
's been dubbed by [Us] into RP,
Received Pronunciation, please believe [Us]
your speech is in the hands of the Receivers.”
― Permanently Bard: Selected Poetry
“Smokers of the world unite!
On t'count o' three, all light up, right?
1-2-3...
You've all been cowed.
I've changed the law and it's allowed.
Try again then. 1-2-3:
all light your fags now after me.”
― Prometheus
On t'count o' three, all light up, right?
1-2-3...
You've all been cowed.
I've changed the law and it's allowed.
Try again then. 1-2-3:
all light your fags now after me.”
― Prometheus
“Articulation is the tongue-tied's fighting”
― Continuous: 50 Sonnets from The School of Eloquence
― Continuous: 50 Sonnets from The School of Eloquence
“Back in our silences and sullen looks,
for all the Scotch we drink, what's still between us
not the thirty or so years, but books, books, books.”
―
for all the Scotch we drink, what's still between us
not the thirty or so years, but books, books, books.”
―
