Great Regulars: "A Northern Suburb" seems likely to have been set

in the heavily industrialised north of England. But, particularly in the description of the narrow little houses, it could portray the effects of rapid expansion on any rural area, even London's suburbs. Nature, evoked as a contrastingly slow-moving force at first, is allowed to be part of the process ("whetted fangs of change") and, interestingly, the close-packed houses are seen as organic growths, with their bright brickwork and "rooting pipes."

from Carol Rumens: The Guardian: Books blog: Poem of the week: A Northern Suburb by John Davidson

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