Hi there is a poem that Ive been looking for.Its in the film four weddings and a funeral.When the funeral is on the guy with the scottish accent reads it.Someone told me Oscar Wilde wrote it but Im having difficulty finding it.It reads something like " stop all the clocks....hes gone" I cant even remember all the lines just that it was a great poem.If anyone has any idea
thanks, therese

therese

Every time that movie is on T.V., Auden gets new readers!

FUNERAL BLUES by W.H. Auden

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West.
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

this poem is by William H. Auden - it is printed in its entirety on the Auden website

I've just bought Another Time, the volume of poetry from which this poem originally came. It is listed thus:

Four Cabaret Songs for Miss Hedli Anderson: 3 - Funeral Blues.

I know that this lady was married to Louis MacNeice, but that's all I know. Anyone know the full story?

Stephen

Fascinating article in today's Guardian, in which Hedli gets a mention:
[books.guardian.co.uk] />

Stephen

William H. Auden

Wystan, not William, puhleeze. We Hughs have to keep the record straight.