It becomes still more difficult to find Words at once true and kind, Or not untrue and not unkind. Philip Larkin More Quotes by Philip Larkin More Quotes From Philip Larkin I am beginning to think of the human imagination as a fruit machine on which victories are rare and separated by much vain expense, and represent a rare alignment of mental and spiritual qualities that normally are quite at odds. Philip Larkin odds spiritual thinking Above all, though, children are linked to adults by the simple fact that they are in process of turning into them. For this they may be forgiven much. Children are bound to be inferior to adults, or there is no incentive to grow up. Philip Larkin growing-up simple children What are days for? Days are where we live. They come, they wake us Time and time over. Theyare to be happy in: Where can we live but days? Philip Larkin time You can't put off being young until you retire. Philip Larkin retiring young retirement There is bad in all good authors: what a pity the converse isn't true! Philip Larkin good-authors pity writing The breath that sharpens life is life itself. Philip Larkin breaths life-is Something, like nothing, happens anywhere. Philip Larkin happens Novels seem to me to be richer, broader, deeper, more enjoyable than poems. Philip Larkin deeper novel writing I think that at the bottom of all art lies the impulse to preserve. Philip Larkin lying art thinking Dear, I can't write, it's all a fantasy: a kind of circling obsession. Philip Larkin fantasy kind writing I have wished you something None of the others would. Philip Larkin As a guiding principle I believe that every poem must be its own sole freshly created universe, and therefore have no belief n 'tradition' or a common myth-kitty or casual allusions in poems to other poems or poets, which last I find unpleasantly like the talk of literary understrappers letting you see they know the right people. Philip Larkin guiding-principles believe people It is fatal to decide, intellectually, what good poetry is because you are then in honour bound to try to write it, instead of the poems that only you can write. Philip Larkin good-poetry writing trying Boys dream of native girls who bring breadfruit, Philip Larkin women girl dream You have to distinguish between things that seemed odd when they were new but are now quite familiar, such as Ibsen and Wagner, and things that seemed crazy when they were new and seem crazy now, like 'Finnegans Wake' and Picasso. Philip Larkin finnegans-wake odd crazy 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 east america thinking We should be careful / Of each other, we should be kind / While there is still time. Philip Larkin be-kind be-careful should Heads in the Women's Ward On pillow after pillow lies The wild white hair and staring eyes; Jaws stand open; necks are stretched With every tendon sharply sketched; A bearded mouth talks silently To someone no one else can see. Sixty years ago they smiled At lover, husband, first-born child. Smiles are for youth. For old age come Death's terror and delirium. Philip Larkin husband lying children Since the majority of me Rejects the majority of you, Debating ends forthwith, and we Divide.'' Philip Larkin Philip Larkin rejects majority ends Death is no different whined at than withstood. Philip Larkin different
