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The Collected Poems: 1959-2024
'The patron saint of poetry' Carol Ann Duffy
For sixty years, Roger McGough has thrilled and delighted generations of readers with his irreverent, intimate and ever-original poetry. The Collected Poems presents the definitive selection of his very best work, from the Mersey-soaked sound of his quintessential Sixties start, through to tender meditations on fatherhood and family, and on to political sendups, pandemic playfulness and brilliant new writing. Here, then, is an unmatched store of warmth, wisdom and feeling from Britain's most beloved poet.
'McGough has done for poetry what champagne does for weddings' Time Out
For sixty years, Roger McGough has thrilled and delighted generations of readers with his irreverent, intimate and ever-original poetry. The Collected Poems presents the definitive selection of his very best work, from the Mersey-soaked sound of his quintessential Sixties start, through to tender meditations on fatherhood and family, and on to political sendups, pandemic playfulness and brilliant new writing. Here, then, is an unmatched store of warmth, wisdom and feeling from Britain's most beloved poet.
'McGough has done for poetry what champagne does for weddings' Time Out
- GenresPoetry
752 pages, Hardcover
First published June 27, 2024
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January 9, 2025
It’s understandable that slim volumes of poetry published by small independent presses cost around £10, or sometimes more. After all, the print runs won’t be huge (many copies might be expected to be bought by other poets and after poetry readings!) and costs are correspondingly high. Having said all that, it’s amazingly good value that this huge hardbacked tome, all 721 pages, containing the collected poems of one of Britain’s most popular poets costs just £25.
I remember, of course, as a woman of a certain age, The Scaffold and Lily the Pink, and Poetry Please on BBC Radio 4, but I’ve not read all of Roger McGough’s work by a long chalk, so I’ve much enjoyed reading through this collection. Some of my favourites, which I’ve recorded here so I can refer back to them, and under my own headings, are:
Early poems about early life and his family:
Mermaid and Chips
Brasso
Great Aunt Edna’s Embroidery
A Dish Best Served Cold
The Railings
Sad Aunt Madge
Aunt Bridie goes to heaven
Grandma and the Angels
Quiet Kittens
Hearts and Flowers
Tramp tramp tramp
Snipers
Bye Bye Black Sheep
Made me laugh out loud:
At Home with the Surrealists: Mrs Magritte
Hill o’Beans
Mr Blyton
Dylan the Eavesdrop (read out to my own poetry group here in Wales to much hilarity!)
Reciting Poetry to Prince Philip
Especially beautiful life pebble to hold:
Everything Touches
Mother Earth:
One Last Chance
Call me World
The Lives of Others:
The Terrible Outside
Unlucky for Some – 17 Voices from a women’s hostel in Soho, 1979
Storytelling:
Lily in the Living Room
Greek Tragedy
The Duvet
What you can do with poetry:
The Elements
Life before Birth
Christmas:
Alternative Santa
Santa Claus has a Brother
Writing poetry:
Advice on Writing a Poem about Liverpool
A Labour of Love
I remember, of course, as a woman of a certain age, The Scaffold and Lily the Pink, and Poetry Please on BBC Radio 4, but I’ve not read all of Roger McGough’s work by a long chalk, so I’ve much enjoyed reading through this collection. Some of my favourites, which I’ve recorded here so I can refer back to them, and under my own headings, are:
Early poems about early life and his family:
Mermaid and Chips
Brasso
Great Aunt Edna’s Embroidery
A Dish Best Served Cold
The Railings
Sad Aunt Madge
Aunt Bridie goes to heaven
Grandma and the Angels
Quiet Kittens
Hearts and Flowers
Tramp tramp tramp
Snipers
Bye Bye Black Sheep
Made me laugh out loud:
At Home with the Surrealists: Mrs Magritte
Hill o’Beans
Mr Blyton
Dylan the Eavesdrop (read out to my own poetry group here in Wales to much hilarity!)
Reciting Poetry to Prince Philip
Especially beautiful life pebble to hold:
Everything Touches
Mother Earth:
One Last Chance
Call me World
The Lives of Others:
The Terrible Outside
Unlucky for Some – 17 Voices from a women’s hostel in Soho, 1979
Storytelling:
Lily in the Living Room
Greek Tragedy
The Duvet
What you can do with poetry:
The Elements
Life before Birth
Christmas:
Alternative Santa
Santa Claus has a Brother
Writing poetry:
Advice on Writing a Poem about Liverpool
A Labour of Love
Displaying 1 of 1 review