Collected Poems, 1944-1979

by Kingsley Amis

Collected Poems 1944-1979

Genres: Poetry, Collections

153 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Best known novels of British writer Sir Kingsley William Amis include Lucky Jim (1954) and The Old Devils (1986).

This English poet, critic, and teacher composed more than twenty-three collections, short stories, radio and television scripts, and books of social and literary criticism. He fathered Martin Amis.

William Robert Amis, a clerk of a mustard manufacturer, fathered him. He began his education at the city of London school, and went up to college of Saint John, Oxford, in April 1941 to read English; he met Philip Larkin and formed the most important friendship of his life. After only a year, the Army called him for service in July 1942. After serving as a lieutenant in the royal corps of signals in the Second World War, Amis returned to Oxford in October 1945 to complete his degree. He worked hard and got a first in English in 1947, and then decided to devote much of his time.

Pen names: [authorRobert Markham|553548] and William Bill Tanner

Reviews

[Steven Godin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes a parting leaves only a room
That frames a void in yellow wallpapers,
Unpersoned by such brief indifferent use;
But love, once broken off, builds a response
In the final turning pause that sees nothing
Is left, and grieves though nothing happened here.

So, stranger, when you come here to unpack,
To look like me excited on the garden,
Expect from me nothing but a false wish
That, going, you ignore all other partings,
And find no ghosts that growl or whinny of
Kisses from nowhere, negligible tears.

- - - -

A satin purse, devoutly lined
With silk shot many ways, and crammed
Full of mirror, pencil, puff,
Its outside monogrammed,
Within as personally signed
By paper money, smooth and smart:

Such at least would be gift enough,
Device of a rich heart;
—These coins, worn thin, of dull
Metal, this purse of slack wool:
Can you use up this gift of love
And yet find it as durable?

- - - -

Can you stand sanity, committee virtue,
Married, seeing its way, good-humoured
And humouring, over forty
Thank God, enough to drive you mad,

Or insanity with its Look at me
While I do my thing to you or I give up?
Right then, mine's a lobotomy.

Please, there are no midways;
Visit either, like the other.

Change is for kids.

[hannah ⭐️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

on second thoughts larkin is really not that bad

[I_hate_books · Rating 2 out of 5]

All grammar, no game.

[Marianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a library challenge. It reminded me why I stopped reading poetry. I understood about 20% on the first reading. The rest I had to read and reread and reread .... ugh!! At least it was short.

[Cooper Renner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best of these verses are very good indeed, but most of the first half of the book--poems from his writings in his 20s and early 30s--are less interesting: they are deft and smart but feel more intellectual and soulless than the sometimes snide and quite funny work of his later 30s and 40s. "Verse" perhaps and not "poetry," but very smart and often quite entertaining.

[Aaronlisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan on Kingsley Amis’ poetry. I found it rather dull and pretentious. The few poems I did find myself enjoying were largely ruined because Amis tried to be shocking or didn’t seem to know when to end the poem. Really should have DNF’d it.

[Mills College Library]

821.914 A5177c 1980

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

had to skim, then had to give it up