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"Born Yesterday" by Philip Larkin

» "Born Yesterday" by Philip Larkin

Tightly-folded bud,
I have wished you something
None of the others would:
Not the usual stuff
About being beautiful,
Or running off a spring
Of innocence and love -
They will all wish you that,
And should it prove possible,
Well, you’re a lucky girl.

But if it shouldn’t, then
May you be ordinary;
Have, like other women,
An average of talents:
Not ugly, not good-looking,
Nothing uncustomary
To pull you off your balance,
That, unworkable itself,
Stops all the rest from working.
In fact, may you be dull -
If that is what a skilled,
Vigilant, flexible,
Unemphasised, enthralled
Catching of happiness is called.

(via bobulate)

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• Philip Larkin
• poetry

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53 notes

1. technicoloresque reblogged this from austinkleon
2. nodeer likes this
3. elvismilkshake reblogged this from austinkleon
4. jawsandclaws likes this
5. emptycarouselsatsunset reblogged this from austinkleon and added:

   Oh Mr. Larkin. I maybe your last living fan that appreciates your excruciating honesty about the mundanity of life.

6. jsm likes this
7. ryanfreitas reblogged this from bobulate and added:

   Probably my most favorite thing that Liz has written, ever. [edit: it looks like Tumblr gets confused when someone...

8. captainsqualid likes this
9. nancymartira reblogged this from bobulate and added:

   I love Bobulate and I especially love this story about Superman’s Man. Would you believe me if I told you that every day...

10. wigwam likes this
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12. mlarson likes this
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14. superbunneh reblogged this from bobulate and added:

    Bobulate has got some pretty good stuffs. For example today it posted a prose by Philip Larkin called Born...

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18. thisinstead reblogged this from austinkleon
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24. miss-te reblogged this from bobulate and added:

    When a post actually means something, it’s awesome to read. How about giving it a try people :) *reblogged from...

25. skibinskipedia likes this
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27. unsatisfied-with-unsatisfactory reblogged this from bobulate
28. austinkleon reblogged this from bobulate and added:

    (via bobulate)

29. unsatisfied-with-unsatisfactory likes this
30. bobulate posted this