‘Aubade’ by Philip Larkin

Although I tend to be ambivalent about poetry, I’ve always liked Larkin’s measured musicality and even his (alleged) misanthropy, and I really like the existential bleakness of this piece.
I work all day, and get half-drunk at night.
Waking at four to soundless dark, I stare.
In time the curtain-edges will grow light.
Till then I see what’s really [...]

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‘The Sun Rising’ by John Donne

Having discovered the word ‘aubade’ (and its meaning), I had a look for some examples. This is one of two that caught my attention.
Busy old fool, unruly Sun,
Why dost thou thus,
Through windows, and through curtains, call on us?
Must to thy motions lovers’ seasons run?
Saucy pedantic wretch, go chide
Late schoolboys, and sour prentices,
Go tell court-huntsmen that [...]

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Unexpected poetry

Steven Erikson's The Malazan Book of the Fallen is undoubtedly the best contemporary fantasy series I've read. Or rather am reading, given that these things tend to be pretty neverending - I'm currently about a quarter of the way through book six, The Bonehunters.
At the head of each chapter and part of each book there's [...]

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