The common word exact without vulgarity,
The formal word precise but not pedantic,
The complete consort dancing together)
Every phrase and every sentence is an end and a beginning,
Every poem an epitaph. And any action
Is a step to the block, to the fire, down the sea’s throat
Or to an illegible stone: and that is where we start.
We die with the dying:
See, they depart, and we go with them.
We are born with the dead:
See, they return, and bring us with them.
The moment of the rose and the moment of the yew-tree
Are of equal duration. A people without history
Is not redeemed from time, for history is a pattern
Of timeless moments. So, while the light fails
On a winter’s afternoon, in a secluded chapel
History is now and England.
With the drawing of this Love and the voice of this Calling
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning;
At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall
And the children in the apple-tree
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half-heard, in the stillness
Between two waves of the sea.
Quick now, here, now, always –
A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything)
And all shall be well and
All manner of thing shall be well
When the tongues of flame are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire
And the fire and the rose are one.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The editor and publishers gratefully acknowledge permission to reprint copyright material in this book as follows:
ANNA AKHMATOVA: ‘Our Own Land’ © Anna Akhmatova from Selected Poems by kind permission of Richard McKane and Bloodaxe Books.
SIMON ARMITAGE: ‘Let Me Put it This Way’ taken from Book of Matches and ‘The Catch’ taken from Kid © Simon Armitage and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
EDMUND BLUNDEN: ‘Report on Experience’ from Edmund Blunden: Selected Poems (Carcanet) by kind permission of the Estate of Edmund Blunden.
PAT BORAN: ‘Waving’ © Pat Boran, from Familiar Things (1993). With permission of Dedalus Press, Dublin, Ireland, www.dedaluspress.com.
COLETTE BRYCE: ‘Early Version’ © by kind permission of the poet and Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
CHARLES CAUSLEY: ‘I Am the Song’ from I Had a Little Cat by Charles Causley (Macmillan) by kind permission of the Estate of Charles Causley.
WENDY COPE: ‘Being Boring’ taken from If I Don’t Know and ‘Two Cures for Love’ taken from Two Cures for Love © Wendy Cope and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
E. E. CUMMINGS: ‘I thank You God for this most amazing’. Copyright 1950 © 1978, 1991 by the Trustees for the E. E. Cummings Trust. Copyright © 1979 by George James Firmage, from Complete Poems: 1904–1962 by E. E. Cummings, edited by George J. Firmage. By kind permission of Liveright Publishing Corporation.
MICHAEL DONAGHY: ‘Machines’ and ‘The Present’ © the Estate of Michael Donaghy, reproduced from Collected Poems by kind permission of the Estate and Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
MAURA DOOLEY: ‘Freight’ © Maura Dooley by kind permission of the poet and Bloodaxe Books.
CAROL ANN DUFFY: ‘Talent’ © Carol Ann Duffy by kind permission of Anvil Press Poetry.
STEPHEN DUNN: ‘Happiness’ from Between Angels by Stephen Dunn. Copyright © 1989 by Stephen Dunn. By kind permission of W. W. Norton & Company Inc.
T. S. ELIOT: ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’ taken from Collected Poems 1909–1962 and ‘Little Gidding’ taken from Four Quartets © the Estate of T. S. Eliot and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
GAVIN EWART: ‘June 1966’ © Gavin Ewart by kind permission of Margo Ewart.
U. A. FANTHORPE: ‘Atlas’ from U. A. Fanthorpe: New and Collected Poems (Enitharmon, 2010) by kind permission of Dr R. V. Bailey.
ELEANOR FARJEON: ‘Morning Has Broken’ from Blackbird Has Spoken by Eleanor Farjeon (Macmillan) by kind permission of the Estate of Eleanor Farjeon.
ALISON FELL: ‘Pushing Forty’ © Alison Fell by kind permission of the poet via Tony Peake Associates.
JAMES FENTON: ‘Hinterhof’ taken from Yellow Tulips: Poems 1968–2011 © James Fenton and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
ROBERT GRAVES: ‘Warning to Children’ from Complete Poems in One Volume by kind permission of Carcanet Press.
THOM GUNN: ‘The Hug’ taken from Collected Poems © the Estate of Thom Gunn and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
SEAMUS HEANEY: ‘The Peninsula’ taken from Door into the Dark, ‘Markings’ taken from Seeing Things and ‘The Railway Children’ taken from Station Island © Seamus Heaney and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
LANGSTON HUGHES: ‘I, Too, Sing America’ and ‘Dreams’ by Langston Hughes from Collected Poems of Langston Hughes by kind permission of the Estate of Langston Hughes.
TED HUGHES: ‘Full Moon and Little Frieda’ taken from Collected Poems © Ted Hughes and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
KATHLEEN JAMIE: ‘The Way We Live’ © Kathleen Jamie by kind permission of the poet and Bloodaxe Books.
PATRICK KAVANAGH: ‘Inniskeen Road: July Evening’ by Patrick Kavanagh is reprinted from Collected Poems, edited by Antoinette Quinn (Allen Lane, 2004) by kind permission of the Trustees of the Estate of the late Katherine B. Kavanagh through the Jonathan Williams Literary Agency.
JACKIE KAY: ‘Holy Island’ © Jackie Kay from Fiere (Picador, 2011) by kind permission of the poet through The Wylie Agency.
PHILIP LARKIN: ‘The Trees’ and ‘Church Going’ taken from Collected Poems © the Estate of Philip Larkin and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
DENISE LEVERTOV: ‘Variation on a Theme by Rilke’ © Denise Levertov. Reproduced by kind permission of Pollinger Limited and New Directions.
CHRISOPHER LOGUE: ‘Come to the Edge’ taken from Selected Poems © Christopher Logue and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
LOUIS MACNEICE: ‘Apple Blossom’ from Louis MacNeice: Collected Poems (Faber and Faber) by kind permission of the Estate of Louis MacNeice.
DEREK MAHON: ‘Everything is Going to Be All Right’ © Derek Mahon from New Collected Poems (2011) by kind permission of the author and The Gallery Press, Loughcrew, Oldcastle, County Meath, Ireland.
SEAN O’BRIEN: ‘Dignified’ © Sean O’Brien, reproduced by kind permission of the poet and Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
ALICE OSWALD: ‘Wedding’ from The Thing in the Gap-Stone Stile © Alice Oswald and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
DOROTHY PARKER: ‘Penelope’ © Dorothy Parker from The Collected Dorothy Parker edited by Marion Meade © 1928 renewed © 1956 by Dorothy Parker © 1973, 2006 by The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People by kind permission of Viking Penguin, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., Gerald Duckworth & Co Ltd, Pollinger Limited and The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
DON PATERSON: ‘Being’ taken from Orpheus © Don Paterson and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
SYLVIA PLATH: ‘You’re’ taken from Collected Poems © the Estate of Sylvia Plath and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
CLARE POLLARD: ‘Thinking of England’ © Clare Pollard from Bedtime by
kind permission of the poet and Bloodaxe Books.
THEODORE ROETHKE: ‘The Waking’ from Collected Poems © the Estate of Theodore Roethke and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
ANN SANSOM: ‘Voice’ © Ann Sansom from Romance (Bloodaxe Books, 1994) by kind permission of the poet.
SIEGFRIED SASSOON: ‘Everyone Sang’ © Siegfried Sassoon by kind permission of the Estate of George Sassoon.
CHARLES SIMIC: ‘The Old World’ from Selected Poems 1963–2003 © Charles Simic and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
STEVIE SMITH: ‘Conviction’ © the Estate of Stevie Smith, reproduced by kind permission of James & James Publishers.
DYLAN THOMAS: ‘And death shall have no dominion’ and ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’ © Dylan Thomas from Collected Poems (Orion).
DEREK WALCOTT: ‘Earth’ taken from Collected Poems © Derek Walcott and reprinted by kind permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.
WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS: ‘Iris’ © William Carlos Williams by kind permission of Pollinger Ltd and New Directions and by kind permission of Carcanet Press.
Every effort has been made to trace and contact the copyright holders prior to publication. If notified, the publisher will undertake to rectify any errors or omissions at the earliest opportunity.
INDEX OF POETS
Akhmatova, Anna (1889–1966) 13
Angelou, Maya (b.1928) 8, 125
Anon 3, 130, 191
Archilochus (c.680–c.645 BC) 57
Armitage, Simon (b.1963) 114, 183
Arnold, Matthew (1822–88) 127
Auden, W. H. (1907–73) 132, 181
Berry, Wendell (b.1934) 168
Betjeman, John (1906–84) 56
Bishop, Elizabeth (1911–79) 75
Blake, William (1757–1827) 27, 51, 60, 131
Blunden, Edmund (1896–1974) 70
Bly, Robert (b.1926) 64
Boran, Pat (b.1963) 34
Bradstreet, Anne (1612–72) 137
Brontë, Emily (1818–48) 177
Brooke, Rupert (1887–1915) 36
Browning, Elizabeth Barrett (1806–61) 65
Browning, Robert (1812–89) 30, 54
Bryce, Colette (b.1970) 110
Burns, Robert (1759–96) 38
Burnside, John (b. 1955) 23
Byron, George Gordon, Lord (1788–1824) 186
Callimachus (c.300–240 BC) 28
Carver, Raymond (1938–88) 184, 195
Causley, Charles (1917–2003) 107
Chaucer, Geoffrey (c.1343–1400) 149
Clare, John (1793–1864) 135
Clough, Arthur Hugh (1819–61) 165
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor (1772–1834) 192
Coolidge, Susan (1835–1905) 19
Cope, Wendy (b.1945) 37, 93
Cummings, E. E. (1894–1962) 148
Davies, William Henry (1871–1940) 150
Dickinson, Emily (1830–86) 69
Donaghy, Michael (1954–2004) 40, 190
Donne, John (1572–1631) 20, 167
Dooley, Maura (b.1957) 103
Dryden, John (1631–1700) 94
Duffy, Carol Ann (b.1955) 151
Dunn, Douglas (b.1942) 170
Dunn, Stephen (b.1939) 59
Eliot, George (1819–80) 152
Eliot, T. S. (1885–1965) 42, 196
Ewart, Gavin (1916–95) 180
Fanthorpe, U. A. (1929–2009) 129
Farjeon, Eleanor (1881–1965) 21
Fell, Alison (b.1944) 164
Fenton, James (b.1949) 29
Frost, Robert (1874–1963) 68, 109
Frye, Mary E. (1905–2004) 124
Graves, Robert (1895–1985) 88
Gunn, Thom (1929–2004) 18
Hafez (1325–90) 42
Hammerstein II, Oscar (1895–1960) 15
Hanagid, Shmuel (993–1056) 96
Hardy, Thomas (1840–1928) 77
Heaney, Seamus (b.1939) 11, 91, 160
Henley, William Ernest (1849–1903) 58
Herbert, George (1593–1633) 90
Herrick, Robert (1591–1674) 32, 99, 179
Hopkins, Gerard Manley (1844–89) 10, 159
Housman, A. E. (1859–1936) 92
Hughes, Langston (1902–67) 97, 187
Hughes, Ted (1930–98) 158
Jamie, Kathleen (b.1962) 108
Kavanagh, Patrick (1904–67) 185
Kay, Jackie (b.1961) 140
Keats, John (1795–1821) 5, 98
The King James Bible (1611) 16
Kipling, Rudyard (1865–1936) 104
Larkin, Philip (1922–85) 142, 173
Lawrence, D. H. (1885–1930) 188
Levertov, Denise (1923–97) 157
Logue, Christopher (1926–2011) 6
Lowell, Amy (1874–1925) 99
McGough, Roger (b.1937) 122
MacNeice, Louis (1907–63) 153
Magee, John Gillespie (1922–41) 7
Mahon, Derek (b.1941) 143
de la Mare, Walter (1873–1956) 118
Marlowe, Christopher (1564–95) 41, 155
Marvell, Andrew (1621–78) 141
Masefield, John (1878–1967) 76
Milne, A. A. (1882–1956) 17
Milton, John (1608–74) 171
Mitchell, Adrian (1932–2008) 61
Moore, Marianne (1887–1972) 102
Nash, Ogden (1902–71) 172
Neruda, Pablo (1904–73) 138
Niemöller, Pastor (1892–1984) 106
O’Brien, Sean (b.1952) 52
Oswald, Alice (b.1966) 87
Parker, Dorothy (1893–1967) 86
Paterson, Don (b.1963) 67
Plath, Sylvia (1932–63) 163
Pollard, Clare (b.1978) 80
Pugh, Sheenagh (b.1950) 4, 116
Raine, Craig (b.1944) 154
Roethke, Theodore (1908–63) 62
Rossetti, Christina (1830–94) 50, 72, 189
Rumi, Jalaluddin (1207–73) 121
Sansom, Ann (b.1951) 31
Sassoon, Siegfried (1886–1967) 95
Shakespeare, William (1564–1616) 22, 78, 101
Shelley, Percy Bysshe (1792–1822) 144
Simic, Charles (b.1938) 161
Simonides (c.556–469 BC) 176
Smith, Stevie (1902–71) 71
Tennyson, Alfred, Lord (1809–92) 14, 111
Thomas, Dylan (1914–53) 55, 169
Thomas, Edward (1878–1917) 145
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1892–1973) 74
Untermeyer, Louis (1885–1977) 166
da Vinci, Leonardo (1452–1519) 120
Untermeyer, Louis (1885–1977) 166
da Vinci, Leonardo (1452–1519) 120
Walcott, Derek (b.1930) 178
Whitman, Walt (1819–92) 119
Wilcox, Ella Wheeler (1850–1919) 85
Williams, William Carlos (1883–1963) 33
Wintle, Walter D. (late C19–C20 centuries) 49
Wordsworth, William (1770–1850) 12, 66, 136
Wotton, Sir Henry (1568–1639) 146
Wright, James (1927–80) 162
Yeats, W. B. (1865–1939) 26, 63, 115
INDEX OF TITLES AND FIRST LINES
a burst of iris so that 33
A certain day became a presence to me 157
A cool small evening shrunk to a dog bark and the clank of a bucket 158
A state you must dare not enter 59
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever 5
Adlestrop 145
Afterwards 77
All that is gold does not glitter 74
All winter I was waiting 140
And death shall have no dominion 55
And did those feet in ancient time 60
And did you get what 195
Apple Blossom 153
As a child I waved to people I didn’t know 34
As I walked out one evening 132
Atlas 129
Auguries of Innocence 51
&nbs
p; Auld Lang Syne 38
Be cheerful, sir 22
Being 67
Being Boring 37
A Birthday 189
Call, by all means, but just once 31
Candy 172
The Catch 183
Celia Celia 61
The Character of a Happy Life 146
The Charge of the Light Brigade 111
Children, if you dare to think 88
A Christmas Carol 72
Church Going 173
Climbing 100
Clownlike, happiest on your hands 163
Come, come, for you will not find another friend like Me 121
Come live with me and be my Love 155
Come to the Edge 6
Conquer we shall, but we must first contend 99
Conviction 71
Count That Day Lost 152
The Daffodils 136
Dead Woman 138
Dearest, note how these two are alike 40
Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions 20
Dignified 52
Do not go gentle into that good Night 169
Do not stand at my grave and weep 124
Does the road wind up-hill all the way? 50
Don’t see him. Don’t phone or write a letter 93
Dover Beach 127
Dreams 187
Dusk-light; the news tells of another train derailed 80
Early Version 110
Earth 178
Earth has not anything to show more fair 12
The End (Milne) 17
The End (Herrick) 99
Endymion 5
Envying Owen Beattie 116
An Epilogue 76
Eternity 27
Every day is a fresh beginning 19
Everyone Sang 95
Everyone suddenly burst out singing 95
Everything is Going to Be All Right 143
Winning Words Page 11
