4/1/2017 VersdeSocitbyPhilipLarkin|PoetryFoundation

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VersdeSocit
BYPHILIPLARKIN

MywifeandIhaveaskedacrowdofcraps
Tocomeandwastetheirtimeandours:perhaps
Youdcaretojoinus?Inapigsarse,friend.
Daycomestoanend.
Thegasfirebreathes,thetreesaredarklyswayed.
AndsoDearWarlockWilliams:Imafraid

Funnyhowharditistobealone.
Icouldspendhalfmyevenings,ifIwanted,
Holdingaglassofwashingsherry,canted
Overtocatchthedrivelofsomebitch
WhosreadnothingbutWhich
Justthinkofallthesparetimethathasflown

Straightintonothingnessbybeingfilled
Withforksandfaces,ratherthanrepaid
Underalamp,hearingthenoiseofwind,
Andlookingouttoseethemoonthinned
Toanairsharpenedblade.
Alife,andyethowsternlyitsinstilled

Allsolitudeisselfish.Noonenow
Believesthehermitwithhisgownanddish
TalkingtoGod(whosgonetoo)thebigwish
Istohavepeoplenicetoyou,whichmeans
Doingitbacksomehow.
Virtueissocial.Are,then,theseroutines

Playingatgoodness,likegoingtochurch?
Somethingthatboresus,somethingwedontdowell

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(Askingthatassabouthisfoolresearch)
Buttrytofeel,because,howevercrudely,
Itshowsuswhatshouldbe?
Toosubtle,that.Toodecent,too.Ohhell,

Onlytheyoungcanbealonefreely.
Thetimeisshorternowforcompany,
Andsittingbyalampmoreoftenbrings
Notpeace,butotherthings.
Beyondthelightstandfailureandremorse
WhisperingDearWarlockWilliams:Why,ofcourse

PhilipLarkin,"VersdeSocit"fromCollectedPoems.CopyrightEstateofPhilipLarkin.ReprintedbypermissionofFaber
andFaber,Ltd.

Source:CollectedPoems(FarrarStrausandGiroux,2001)

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Discoverthispoem'scontextandrelatedpoetry,articles,andmedia.
POET
PhilipLarkin
SUBJECTS

Arts&Sciences,Humor&Satire
POET'SREGION
England
POETICTERMS
Couplet

Reportaproblemwiththispoem.

POETRY
TheoldestmonthlydevotedtoverseintheEnglishlanguage.

March2017TableofContents

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