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Wendy Cope

Wendy Cope Biography

Poet

Wendy Cope is a renowned British poet known for her humor and wit. Born on July 21, 1945, she began publishing poetry in 1973. Cope's work often explores emotions and interpersonal relationships in everyday life, characterized by its straightforward language and deep emotional insight.

Wendy Cope is a renowned British poet known for her humor and wit. Born on July 21, 1945, she began publishing poetry in 1973. Cope's work often explores emotions and interpersonal relationships in everyday life, characterized by its straightforward language and deep emotional insight.

Related Quotes

“There's not a Shakespeare sonnet Or a Bethoven quartet That's easier to like than you Or harder to forget. You think that sounds extravagant? I haven't finished yet -- I like you more than I would like To have a cigarette.”

Love Obsession Cigarettes

Book:Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis

Source: Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis

“Bloody men are like bloody buses — You wait for about a year And as soon as one approaches your stop Two or three others appear. You look at them flashing their indicators, Offering you a ride. You’re trying to read the destinations, You haven’t much time to decide. If you make a mistake, there is no turning back. Jump off, and you’ll stand there and gaze While the cars and the taxis and lorries go by And the minutes, the hours, the days.”

Men Love Relationships

Book:Serious Concerns

Source: Serious Concerns

“The day he moved out was terrible – That evening she went through hell. His absence wasn’t a problem But the corkscrew had gone as well.”

Love Relationships Separation

Book:Serious Concerns

Source: Serious Concerns

“I used to think all poets were Byronic Mad, bad and dangerous to know. And then I met a few. See Lamb 486:25.”

Thinking Knows Used Dangerous Poet Mets Mad Now And Then Lambs

Author:Wendy Cope

“There are so many kinds of awful men One can't avoid them all. She often said She'd never make the same mistake again: She always made a new mistake instead.”

Men Kind Made Said Mistake Awful Same Mistakes

Author:Wendy Cope

“My heart has made its mind up And I'm afraid it's you.”

Mind Heart Made My Heart

Author:Wendy Cope

“Some socks are loners They can't live in pairs.”

Pairs Sock Loner

Author:Wendy Cope

“Never trust a journalist.”

Journalist Never Trust

Author:Wendy Cope

“The reason modern poetry is difficult is so that the poet's wife cannot understand it.”

Reason Poetry Difficult Wife Modern Poet Poetry Is Modern Poetry

Author:Wendy Cope

“On Waterloo Bridge where we said our goodbyes, the weather conditions bring tears to my eyes. I wipe them away with a black woolly glove And try not to notice I've fallen in love On Waterloo Bridge I am trying to think: This is nothing. you're high on the charm and the drink. But the juke-box inside me is playing a song That says something different. And when was it wrong? On Waterloo Bridge with the wind in my hair I am tempted to skip. You're a fool. I don't care. the head does its best but the heart is the boss- I admit it before I am halfway across”

Source: Two Cures for Love: Selected Poems 1979-2006

“My heart has made its mind up And I’m afraid it’s you. Whatever you’ve got lined up, My heart has made its mind up And if you can’t be signed up This year, next year will do. My heart has made its mind up And I’m afraid it’s you.”

Ifs Years Mind Heart Made Next My Heart Next Year

Book:Two Cures for Love: Selected Poems 1979-2006

Source: Two Cures for Love: Selected Poems 1979-2006

“At lunchtime I bought a huge orange The size of it made us all laugh. I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave— They got quarters and I had a half. And that orange it made me so happy, As ordinary things often do Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park This is peace and contentment. It's new. The rest of the day was quite easy. I did all my jobs on my list And enjoyed them and had some time over. I love you. I'm glad I exist.”

Source: Two Cures for Love: Selected Poems 1979-2006

“Write to amuse? What an appalling suggestion! I write to make people anxious and miserable and to worsen their indigestion.”

People Writing Miserable Anxious Suggestions Indigestion

Author:Wendy Cope

“Bloody Christmas, here again, let us raise a loving cup, peace on earth, goodwill to men, and make them do the washing up.”

Men Earth Raises Christmas Cups Bloody Peace On Earth Washing Goodwill Inspirational Christmas Merry Christmas Christmas Thoughts Short Christmas Christmas Peace Merry Christmas Greetings

Book:Christmas Poems

Source: Christmas Poems

“I think it's a question which particularly arises over women writers: whether it's better to have a happy life or a good supply of tragic plots.”

Thinking Arise Tragic Plot Happy Life

Author:Wendy Cope

“Bloody men are like bloody buses - you wait for about a year and as soon as one approaches your stop two or three others appear.”

Men Years Two Three Waiting Approach Bus Bloody

Author:Wendy Cope

“I've never been more famous than I was, suddenly, in 1986.”

Author:Wendy Cope

“When a poem doesn't work, the first question to ask yourself is, 'Am I telling the truth?'”

Firsts Asks Telling The Truth

Author:Wendy Cope

“I always tell students that writing a poem and publishing it are two quite separate things, and you should write what you have to write, and if you're afraid it's going to upset someone, don't publish it.”

Ifs Should Writing Two Students Upset Publishing Publish

Author:Wendy Cope

“I have a theory that if you've got the kind of parents who want to send you to boarding school, you're probably better off at boarding school.”

Ifs Want Kind School Parent Theory Better Off

Author:Wendy Cope

“I like buying clothes, especially as I get a tax-deductible allowance.”

Taxes Clothes Buying Allowance Buying Clothes

Author:Wendy Cope

“I was single for a long time and felt very much alone in the world, and talk of family values upset me very much at that phase in my life, because I used to think: 'What about people like me?”

People Thinking World Long Used Values Felt Long Time Like Me Upset Phases Family Values

Author:Wendy Cope

“I've said what I'm prepared to say in my poems, and then journalists think that you're going to tell them a whole lot more.”

Thinking Said Whole Prepared Journalist

Author:Wendy Cope

“In my case, the long gaps between my books have got quite a lot to do with lack of confidence. A lot of the time when I'm not writing I start thinking I can't do it.”

Thinking Writing Long I Can Book Cases Gaps Lack Of Confidence

Author:Wendy Cope

“Possibly I've become less funny as I've been happier.”

Author:Wendy Cope

“The interesting thing is that you don't often meet a poet who doesn't have a sense of humour, and some of them do keep it out of their poems because they're afraid of being seen as light versifiers.”

Light Interesting Humour Poet Interesting Things

Author:Wendy Cope

About the Author

Born: July 21, 1945
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 26

Related Topics

Thinking Made Men Heart Ifs Love Poet Said Writing Bloody

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Two Cures for Love: Selected Poems 1979-2006Related source material

Serious ConcernsRelated source material

Christmas PoemsRelated source material

Making Cocoa for Kingsley AmisRelated source material

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