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The commonplace needs no defence,
Dullness is in the critic’s eyes,
Without a licence life evolves
From some dim phase its own surprise;
Under these yellow-twinkling elms,
Behind these hedges trimly shorn,
As in a stable once, so here
It may be born, it may be born.

— William Plomer Borderline Ballads (1955)

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More quotes by William Plomer

On a sofa upholstered in panther skin
Mona did researches in original sin.

Collected Poems (1960)

Out of that bungled, unwise war
An alp of unforgiveness grew.

Collected Poems (1960)

'Look who's here!
Do come and help us fiddle while Rome burns!'

The Dorking Thigh, and Other Satires (1945)

With first-rate sherry flowing into second-rate whores,
And third-rate conversation without one single pause:
Just like a young couple
Between the wars.

The Dorking Thigh, and Other Satires (1945)

So never say to D'Arcy, 'Be your age!' —
He'd shrivel up at once or turn to stone.

The Dorking Thigh, and Other Satires (1945)

All William Plomer quotes →

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: William Plomer (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.