Love and Relationships
Since we agreed to let the road between us
Fall to disuse
And bricked our gate up, planted trees to screen us,
And turned all time’s eroding agents loose,
Silence, and space, and strangers - our neglect
Has not had much effect.
\
Leaves drift unswept, perhaps; grass creeps unmown;
No other change.
So clear it stands, so little overgrown,
Walking that way tonight would not seem strange,
And still would be allowed. A little longer,
And time would be the stronger,
\
Drafting a world where no such road will run
From you to me;
To watch that world come like a cold sun,
Rewarding others, is my liberty.
Not to prevent it is my will’s fulfillment.
Willing it, my ailment.
Since ^^we^^ agreed to let the ^^road^^ between us
\
Fall to ^^disuse^^
\
And ^^bricked^^ our ^^gate^^ up, planted trees to screen us,
\
And turned all time’s eroding agents loose,
S^^ilence, and^^ s^^pace, and^^ s^^trangers^^ - our neglect
\
Has not had much effect^^.^^
\
Leaves drift unswept, perhaps; ^^grass creeps unmown^^;
\
No other change^^.^^
\
So clear it stands, so little overgrown,
^^Walking^^ that way tonight would not seem strange,
\
And still would be allowed. A little ^^longer^^,
And time would be the ^^stronger^^,
\
^^Drafting a world^^ where no such road will run
\
From ^^you^^ to ^^me^^;
\
To watch that world come ^^like a^^ cold sun,
\
Rewarding others, is my liberty.
Not to prevent it is ^^my will’s fulfillment^^.
\
Willing it, my ^^ailment^^.
Phillip Larkin had multiple failed relationships, causing him to never be married.