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Elizabeth Jennings

I lived from 1926-2001. I was from England, and am in the English category.

Elizabeth Joan Jennings, poet, born July 18 1926; died October 26 2001.
Elizabeth was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England in July 18, 1926. Her father was a respected Chief Medical Officer who moved the family to Oxford when she was six years old. She later discovered poetry while attending the Oxford high school.
After attending St Anne's College, Oxford, Elizabeth became a librarian at Oxford city library. Having more time to focus on her writing she published her first collection of poetry (1953) which drew the attention of Robert Conquest. Mr. Conquest would later publish her work with the likes of famous authors Kingsley Amis, Philip Larkin, Thom Gunn and others in his 1956 "New Lines Anthology", which would later become known as "The Movement". Throughout the 1960's, Elizabeth was one of the most popular poets in England. She never married and published a great number of works. Elizabeth once said, "I write fast and revise very little".
Delay

"The radiance of the star that leans on me
Was shining years ago. The light that now
Glitters up there my eyes may never see,
And so the time lag teases me with how
Love that loves now may not reach me until
Its first desire is spent. The star's impulse
Must wait for eyes to claim it beautiful
And love arrived may find us somewhere else."

Popular poetry

Search my poetry:
  • Lying apart now, each in a separate bed,
    He with a book, keeping the light on late,
    18 lines, 2 comments
  • You are no longer young,
    Nor are you very old.
    24 lines, 3 comments
  • I visited the place where we last met.
    Nothing was changed, the gardens were well-tended,
    15 lines, 2 comments
  • I fear it's very wrong of me,
    And yet I must admit,
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  • At this particular time I have no one
    Particular person to grieve for, though there must
    18 lines, 7 comments
  • I keep my answers small and keep them near;
    Big questions bruised my mind but still I let
    13 lines, 1 comment
  • The radiance of the star that leans on me
    Was shining years ago. The light that now
    8 lines, 1 comment
  • When the gardener has gone this garden
    Looks wistful and seems waiting an event.
    14 lines
  • We nailed the hands long ago,
    Wove the thorns, took up the scourge and shouted
    14 lines, 2 comments
  • Over the surging tides and the mountain kingdoms,
    Over the pastoral valleys and the meadows,
    21 lines, 2 comments

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