paperback

This little collection of poems is what got me started reading Auden's poetry. A wonderful little collection. His poetry is easy to read and enjoy, and makes him a good entry point for someone looking to getting into reading poetry. ( )

This collection of Auden's poems is perhaps not the greatest but, it is, in the main, Auden at his most cheerful: a welcome antidote to the Davenport-Hines biography which I read alongside this collection.

The title poem is a song, written for a musical show: nothing wrong in that but, a source of an amusing rhyme, rather than an opportunity for great poetry. Other works do add to our admiration for one of the twentieth century's greatest poets, such as 'Deftly, Admiral, Cast Your Fly' and 'Funeral Blues'. ( )

A slim volume (no room for writing on the spine, even), probably made most (justly) famous by a reading of "Funeral Blues" in the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral. A little bitter, often biting.

I received this book from a friend. I am not a huge fan of rhyming poetry, but thought I ought to know more about Auden. My favorites in this collection are Song and Funeral Blues, but I am not sure I will seek out other works. ( )