Welsh poet and chest consultant who observed both the ordinary and the horrific in modern life
The diverse literary output of the Welsh writer Dannie Abse, who has died aged 91, was considerable in both quality and quantity, and achieved in addition to the long hours that he worked as a doctor. Though he wrote in other forms, he was best known for his poetry, and it is remarkable for its consistency.
Most of the works that appeared in 1989 under the title White Coat, Purple Coat: Collected Poems, 1948-88 are distinguished by clarity of expression and formal accomplishment. In many cases they display a sense of mystery and wonder in confronting the magic that may be uncovered by the patient and acutely observant contemplation of the ordinary events and experiences of urban existence.
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