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McCartney honors his late wife with poetry


The former Beatles says his late wife, Linda, wanted his poems about her published

January 11, 2001
Web posted at: 11:50 AM EST (1650 GMT)

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Former Beatle Paul McCartney is to publish more than 100 of his poems as a personal epitaph to his late wife, Linda.

His verses are to be printed in a collection titled "Blackbird Singing." The works have won warm praise from contemporary poets.

"Clearly Paul has a proven ability, and I find many of his poems very apt and moving, particularly about Linda's death," poet Michael Horovitz said.

Poet Ursula Fanshawe said: "There is touching evidence of a mind ravaged by memories."

Poet and playwright Adrian Mitchell said: "Paul is not afraid to take on the art of poetry, which is the art of dancing naked."

He told the Sunday Times, which revealed details of McCartney's latest artistic venture: "It was Linda who wanted Paul to get them published."

Much praised was McCartney's bittersweet reflection on Linda's long fight against breast cancer before her death in 1998.

In one poem, McCartney wrote: "Sadness isn't sadness, it's happiness in a black jacket.

"Death isn't death, it's life that jumped off a tall cliff. Tears are not tears, they're balls of laughter dipped in salt."

McCartney composed some of the world's most memorable pop classics with fellow Beatle, the late John Lennon.

Beatles biographer Hunter Davies was not surprised that McCartney had burst into print: "He always had literary leanings," he said.

"But he probably felt a bit inhibited because he and John were always in friendly rivalry, and John had his poetry books published. I find his new poems rather moving and touching."

McCartney has always been eager to push beyond the boundaries of pop music, moving first into the field of classical music.

He has also been painting for the past 20 years -- but only went public with an exhibition in Germany in May 1999, followed by shows in London and New York.

Thirty years after the group broke up, Beatlemania shows no signs of vanishing. Their recently released collection of number one hits topped the charts around the world. The group has also launched its own Web site.

McCartney's personal appeal shows no sign of fading either. Recently, young girls wept, paparazzi snapped and fans screamed when he went to a London bookstore to sign copies of his new book "Paintings."