Brian Patten Quotes

United Kingdom, Author
February 7, 1946

Brian Patten is an English poet and author. He came to prominence in the 1960s as one of the Liverpool poets, and writes primarily lyrical poetry about human relationships. His famous works include: "Little Johnny's Confessions", "The irrelevant Song", "Vanishing Trick", "Emma's Doll", "Impossible Parents", amongst others.

Also known as Poet

When in public poetry should take off its clothes and wave to the nearest person in sight; it should be seen in the company of thieves and lovers rather than that of journalists and publishers.

Brian Patten
How long is a man’s life, finally? Is it a thousand days, or only one? One week, or a few centuries? How long does a man’s death last? And what do we mean when we say, ‘gone forever’?

Brian Patten
- Week
- Days
- Centuries

Sleep now, Alone in the sleeves of grief, Listening to clothes falling And your flesh touching God...

Brian Patten
On sighting mathematicians poetry should unhook the algebra from their minds and replace it with poetry; on sighting poets it should unhook poetry from their minds and replace it with algebra.

Brian Patten
Death is the only grammatically correct full stop.

Brian Patten
- Death
- Stop
So many partings in the mind the heart Has not had the courage to follow through.

Brian Patten
- Mind
- Heart
Isolation disfigures men Who think their separateness superior.

Brian Patten
I reach into you to reach all mankind, And the deeper into you I reach The deeper glows elsewhere the world And sings of you. It says, To love is the one common miracle.

Brian Patten
- World
- Miracle
- Mankind

Through silence only the good messages go unheard.

Brian Patten
- Silence
- Messages