Poems Selected by John Fuller by W.H. Auden***

15 November 2015 | ,

Reading dates: 01 October–14 November 2015

Reading poetry is still a challenge for me, even 16 years after I made English my main language. Reading poetry aloud is a challenge, but also the best training to understand it. Neil and I read two of Auden’s poems per night. He always let me chose which one I wanted; for the other, I just lay down and listen to him. Such a luxury. It is one of those moments I will remember forever, and, when the time comes, I will also miss deeply.

In this collection, Auden’s poems are organised chronologically. I liked the earlier ones much more than I thought; I even understood something in them. As the book went on, some images were still beautiful but I think he became too formal and I liked the poems less.

Detective Story was one of my favourites (and not only because of the theme):
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At the risk of being corny, I also liked Funeral Blues, featured in the rom com ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’. I suppose that, with all the sadness around the world, the expression of grief and loss by someone who is precise and articulate, as well as having the gift of words, is a small breath.

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