Beyond all this, the wish to be alone:
However the sky grows dark with invitation-cards
However we follow the printed directions of sex
However the family is photographed under the flag-staff –
Beyond all this, the wish to be alone.
Beneath it all, the desire for oblivion runs:
Despite the artful tensions of the calendar,
The life insurance, the tabled fertility rites,
The costly aversion of the eyes away from death –
Beneath it all, the desire for oblivion runs.
(Philip Larkin)
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Based on Topics: Life Poems, Hope Poems, Desire Poems, Family Poems, Sex PoemsBased on Keywords: rites, artful, fertility, aversion, photographed, tensions, flag-staff, tabled