ONE OF THE MOST GRIMLY FUNNY POEMS OF the past century is Philip Larkin’s “This Be the Verse,” with its opening salvo about how our parents invariably mess us up. Larkin used a saltier word for “mess,

Sarah Ditum on Pop ● MIDWAY THROUGH THE ...

SARAH DITUM

Tennyson’s embrace of science and catastrophe theory

So, what’s up?” Lauren asks. Charlotte hands a coffee to Lauren and plops into a chair at the kitchen table. “My rent’s going up, so I won’t be able to afford this flat anymore.” “Wow. That’s tough,”

Actor, presenter and now author Larry Lamb reveals why the written word – particularly verse – has always meant so much to him