A writer once said to me, If you ever go to America, go either to the East Coast or the West Coast: The rest is a desert full of bigots. That's what I think I'd like . . . a version of pastoral. Philip Larkin More Quotes by Philip Larkin More Quotes From Philip Larkin I have started to say Philip Larkin aging century years Get stewed:Books are a load of crap. Philip Larkin crap reading book My age fallen away like white swaddling Philip Larkin distance white clouds Most people know more as they get older: Philip Larkin wisdom giving people Seriously, I think it is a grave fault in life that so much time is wasted in social matters, because it not only takes up time when you might be doing individual private things, but it prevents you storing up the psychic energy that can then be released to create art or whatever it is. It's terrible the way we scotch silence & solitude at every turn, quite suicidal. I can't see how to avoid it, without being very rich or very unpopular, & it does worry me, for time is slipping by , and nothing is done. It isn't as if anything was gained by this social frivolity, It isn't: it's just a waste. Philip Larkin suicidal art thinking One of the great criticisms of poets of the past is that they said one thing and did another. Philip Larkin poetry criticism past But superstition, like belief, must die. Philip Larkin superstitions dies belief Only one ship is seeking us, a black-Sailed unfamiliar, towing at her backA huge and birdless silence. In her wakeNo waters breed or break. Philip Larkin black silence water The poetic impulse is distinct from ideas about things or feelings about things, though it may use these. It's more like a desire to separate a piece of one's experience & set it up on its own, an isolated object never to trouble you again, at least not for a bit. In the absence of this impulse nothing stirs. Philip Larkin desire feelings ideas I never think of poetry or the poetry scene, only separate poems written by individuals. Philip Larkin individual scene thinking You can look out of your life like a train & see what you're heading for, but you can't stop the train. Philip Larkin headings train looks SEX is designed for people who like overcoming obstacles. Philip Larkin overcoming sex people Nothing, like something, happens anywhere. Philip Larkin nothing something like happens
