Collected Poems

It’s a rare privilege to engage with the collected work of a writer spanning his emergence as a new voice, somewhat anxiously influenced by mid-20th century forebears (Auden, Gunn et al), through to his confident maturity. Steeped in classical literature and the history of the English language, Harrison can work in a wide range of registers: humorous, angry, political, elegiac.For all his erudition, he’s never drily academic. As with all the best poetry, anyone with a grasp of the language can find a way in - but to be savoured fully, the carefully crafted rhymes and scansion need to be read with a northern inner voice – and certainly not a South of England Received Pronunciation one. Leeds-born and a proud northerner, Harrison captures both the humiliation and pride in the gulf between his working-class background and the expectations his schooling brought to bear on what “proper” English should sound like. See “Classics Society” “National Trust” and “Them & (Uz)”.If read outside academia, this is a collection to return to over time. In my opinion, Harrison’s most memorable achievements lie in the poems he wrote after his parents passed away. It is no surprise that “Long Distance” circulated on social media during the year of the pandemic. Many of these poems will last for as long as there’s an interest in literature.

I find Tony Harrison's work engaging, wide-ranging, moving and expressed in the most brilliant use of language.

The standard work of the poems of this scholarly author of the Twentieth century. A handy paperback form easy to hold and read.

A fantastic selection of poems for all those who love controversial topics and for all those studying him!

Poems from the soul to the soul

I was not expecting to like this man's writing due to his use of expletives...But I could not be more wrong. The U3A group I lead helped my de-code some of his complex works which were tongue in cheek comments to the academics who think they are clever. Tony is a Yorkshireman through and through. He can quote Catulus like them...But he wants his work grounded in emotions we all feel.I ended up admiring his work enormously.

A poet who really connects.He articulates so much that you know and feel but can't adequately express. It's what great artists do

This is a great way to get into some of the best poetry written in English. A wonderful mixture of short, medium and longer poems. You need to recognise the poets voice and once tuned in you will be rewarded by the most sublime works.