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Quote by Philip Larkin

“I think a young poet, or an old poet, for that matter, should try to produce something that pleases himself personally, not only when he's written it but a couple of weeks later. Then he should see if it pleases anyone else, by sending it to the kind of magazine he likes reading.”

Quote by Philip Larkin

Author

Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin

Philip Larkin (August 9, 1922 – December 2, 1985) was a renowned English poet, novelist, and librarian. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of post-war Britain, known for his concise, bleak, and ironic style. Born in Coventry, Larkin studied at St John's College, Oxford. His major works include the poetry collections 'The Whitsun Weddings' and 'High Windows', and the novel 'Jill'. He spent most of his career as librarian at the University of Hull. Larkin's poetry often explores themes of death, loneliness, love, and the absurdity of everyday life. He rejected modernism in favor of traditional forms, and his precise, musical language earned him the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. His work continues to influence poets and readers worldwide. more

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“Most writers begin with accounts of their first home, their family, and the town, often from quite a hostile point of view-love/hate, let's say. In a way, this stepping outside, in an attempt to judge enough to create a duplicate of it, makes you an outsider. . . . I think it's healthy for a writer to feel like an outsider. If you feel like an insider you get committed to a partisan view, you begin to defend interests, so you wind up not really empathizing with all mankind.”