Thursday, April 07, 2011

"Since the Majority of Me" by Philip Larkin

Since the majority of me
Rejects the majority of you,
Debating ends forwith, and we
Divide. And sure of what to do

We disinfect new blocks of days
For our majorities to rent
With unshared friends and unwalked ways,
But silence too is eloquent:

A silence of minorities
That, unopposed at last, return
Each night with cancelled promises
They want renewed. They never learn.

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(N.B. I: Adding this to the other good breakup poems previously featured here: "You Must Accept"; "A Color of the Sky")

(N.B. II: I came across this poem because of the Reese Witherspoon / Vince Vaughn movie "Four Christmases." Seriously.)

(N.B. III: Those who like poetry, children, and/or the combination thereof should check out Greg Pincus's awesome Kickstarter project "Poetry: Spread the Word," which raises money for Greg to go into schools and share poetry with kids.)

5 comments:

  1. Wow, just...wow.
    6 weeks past breakup and this poem is perfect, thanks for sharing.

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  2. I'm with Vampires and Tofu: wow. It took me a couple of reads before it sunk in, but now I think I'll go curl up in a ball somewhere. Then again, being a guy, it's probably best that I just go workout.

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  3. This sure does say it all. I love it, and am planning to find more of his work. Yes. Wow.

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  4. Larkin is brutally honest, be warned. No sugar coating of the truths he reveals of the human condition. As a man, my favourite poem of his is "Breadfruit" - it brilliantly shows how so many men end up leading lives of quiet desperation. Quite the cautionary tale in fact!

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  5. what is the meaning of this poem

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