Motion, Andrew (1952– )

English poet, biographer, and novelist, poet laureate 1999– . His volumes of poetry include The Price of Everything (1994). He published the authorized biography of the poet Philip Larkin in 1993.

Motion's poems show the influence of Larkin and Edward Thomas. They are clear and candidly personal, dealing with the family, marriage, platonic and romantic friendship. He has published critical works on Thomas (1981) and Larkin (1982), as well as a three-generation biography, The Lamberts (1986). His novels The Pale Companion (1989) and Famous for the Creatures (1991) were less successful.