poems by philip larkin

8/10/2019 Poems by Philip Larkin

1/31

Philip Larkin

Born in 1922 in Coventry, England. He attended St. John's College, Oxford.

His first boo of !oetry, "he #orth Shi!, $as !%blished in 19& and, tho%gh not

!arti(%larly strong on its o$n, is notable insofar as (ertain !assages foreshado$ the

%ni)%e sensibility and *at%rity that (hara(teri+es his later $or. n 19&-, arindis(overed the !oetry of "ho*as Hardy and be(a*e a great ad*irer of his !oetry,

learning fro* Hardy ho$ to *ae the (o**on!la(e and often dreary details of his life the basis for

extre*ely to%gh, %ns!aring, and *e*orable !oe*s. /ith his se(ond vol%*e of !oetry, "he ess

0e(eived 19, arin be(a*e the !ree*inent !oet of his generation, and a leading voi(e of $hat

(a*e to be (alled '"he 3ove*ent', a gro%! of yo%ng English $riters $ho re4e(ted the !revailing

fashion for neo56o*anti( $riting in the style of 7eats and 0ylan "ho*as. ie Hardy, arin fo(%sed

on intense !ersonal e*otion b%t stri(tly avoided senti*entality or self5!ity.

n 19-&, he (onfir*ed his re!%tation as a *a4or !oet $ith the !%bli(ation of "he /hits%n /eddings,

and again in 198& $ith High /indo$s (olle(tions $hose searing, often *o(ing, $it does not (on(eal

the !oet's dar vision and %nderlying obsession $ith %niversal the*es of *ortality, love, and h%*an

solit%de. 0ee!ly anti5so(ial and a great lover and !%blished (riti( of :*eri(an 4a++, arin never

*arried and (ond%(ted an %neventf%l life as a librarian in the !rovin(ial (ity of H%ll, $here he died in

19;.


2/31

Annus Mirabilis 19-8

Sex%al inter(o%rse began

n nineteen sixty5three

$hi(h $as rather late for *e! at the holy end the s*all neat organ

:nd a tense, *%sty, %nignorable silen(e,

Bre$ed ~od no$s ho$ long. Hatless, tae off

3y (y(le5(li!s in a$$ard reveren(e.

3ove for$ard, r%n *y hand aro%nd the font.

zro* $here stand, the roof loos al*ost ne$ 5

Cleaned, or restored? So*eone $o%ld no$

don't.

3o%nting the le(tern, !er%se a fe$He(toring large5s(ale verses, and !rono%n(e

'Here endeth' *%(h *ore lo%dly than 'd *eant.

"he e(hoes snigger briefly. Ba( at the door

sign the boo, donate an rish six!en(e,

6efle(t the !la(e $as not $orth sto!!ing for.

7et sto! did in fa(t often do,

:nd al$ays end *%(h at a loss lie this,

/ondering $hat to loo for $ondering, too,

/hen (h%r(hes $ill fall (o*!letely o%t of %se

/hat $e shall t%rn the* into, if $e shall ee!

: fe$ (athedrals (hroni(ally on sho$,

C350. 03 2 Z51>0>

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15/31

"heir !ar(h*ent, !late and !yx in lo(ed

(ases,

:nd let the rest rent5free to rain and

shee!.

Shall $e avoid the* as %nl%(y !la(es?

Or, after dar, $ill d%bio%s $o*en

(o*e

"o *ae their (hildren to%(h a !arti(%lar

stone

=i( si*!les for a (an(er or on so*e

:dvised night see $aling a dead

one?

=o$er of so*e sort $ill go on

n ga*es, in riddles, see*ingly at rando*

B%t s%!erstition, lie belief,

*%st die,

:nd $hat re*ains $hen disbelief has gone?

~rass, $eedy !ave*ent, bra*bles, b%ttress,

sy,

: sha!e less re(ognisable ea(h $ee,

: !%r!ose *ore obs(%re. $onder $ho

/ill be the last, the very last, to see

"his !la(e for $hat it $as one of the (re$

"hat ta! and 4ot and no$ $hat rood5lofts

$ere?So*e r%in5bibber, randy for anti)%e,

Or Christ*as5addi(t, (o%nting on a $hiff

Of go$n5and5bands and organ5!i!es and *yrrh?

Or $ill he be *y re!resentative,

Bored, %ninfor*ed, no$ing the ghostly silt

0is!ersed, yet tending to this (ross of

gro%nd

"hro%gh s%b%rb s(r%b be(a%se it held %ns!ilt

So long and e)%ably $hat sin(e is fo%nd

Only in se!aration 5 *arriage, and birth,:nd death, and tho%ghts of these 5 for $hi(h $as

b%ilt

"his s!e(ial shell? zor, tho%gh 've no idea

/hat this a((o%tred fro$sty barn is $orth,

t !leases *e to stand in silen(e here

: serio%s ho%se on serio%s earth it is,

n $hose blent air all o%r (o*!%lsions

*eet,

:re re(ogni+ed, and robed as destinies.

:nd that *%(h never (an be obsolete,

Sin(e so*eone $ill forever be s%r!rising

: h%nger in hi*self to be *ore serio%s,

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16/31

:nd gravitating $ith it to this gro%nd,

/hi(h, he on(e heard, $as !ro!er to gro$ $ise in,

f only that so *any dead lie ro%nd.

he 6l% [ools 198

/hat do they thin has ha!!ened, the old fools,

"o *ae the* lie this? 0o they so*eho$ s%!!ose

t's *ore gro$n5%! $hen yo%r *o%th hangs o!en

and drools,

:nd yo% ee! on !issing yo%rself, and (an't

re*e*ber

/ho (alled this *orning? Or that, if they only

(hose,

"hey (o%ld alter things ba( to $hen they dan(ed

all night,

Or $ent to their $edding, or slo!ed ar*s so*e

Se!te*ber?

Or do they fan(y there's really been no (hange,

:nd they've al$ays behaved as if they $ere

(ri!!led or tight,

Or sat thro%gh days of thin (ontin%o%s drea*ing

/at(hing the light *ove? f they don't and they

(an't, it's strange

/hy aren't they s(rea*ing?

:t death yo% brea %! the bits that $ere yo%Start s!eeding a$ay fro* ea(h other for ever

/ith no one to see. t's only oblivion, tr%e

/e had it before, b%t then it $as going to end,

:nd $as all the ti*e *erging $ith a %ni)%e

endeavo%r

"o bring to bloo* the *illion5!etalled flo$er

Of being here. #ext ti*e yo% (an't !retend

"here'll be anything else. :nd these are the first

signs

#ot no$ing ho$, not hearing $ho, the !o$er

Of (hoosing gone. "heir loos sho$ that they'refor it

:sh hair, toad hands, !r%ne fa(e dried into lines 5

Ho$ (an they ignore it?

=erha!s being old is having lighted roo*s

nside yo% head, and !eo!le in the*, a(ting

=eo!le yo% no$, yet (an't )%ite na*e ea(h loo*s

ie a dee! loss restored, fro* no$n doors

t%rning,

Setting do$n a la*!, s*iling fro* a stair,

extra(ting

: no$n boo fro* the shelves or so*eti*es only

"he roo*s the*selves, (hairs and a fire b%rning,

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17/31

"he blo$n b%sh at the $indo$, or the s%n's

zaint friendliness on the $all so*e lonely

6ain5(eased *ids%**er evening. "hat is $here

they live

#ot here and no$, b%t $here all ha!!ened on(e.

"his is $hy they give

:n air of baffled absen(e, trying to be there

7et being here. zor the roo*s gro$ farther,

leaving

n(o*!etent (old, the (onstant $ear and tear

Of taen breath, and the* (ro%(hing belo$

Extin(tion's al!, the old fools, never !er(eiving

Ho$ near it is. "his *%st be $hat ee!s the*

)%iet

"he !ea that stays in vie$ $herever $e go

zor the* is rising gro%nd. Can they never tell

/hat is dragging the* ba(, and ho$ it $ill end?

#ot at night?

#ot $hen the strangers (o*e? #ever, thro%gho%t

"he $hole hideo%s inverted (hildhood? /ell,

/e shall find o%t.

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18/31

Mr ;leane& 19

'"his $as 3r Bleaney's roo*. He stayed

"he $hole ti*e he $as at the Bodies, till

"hey *oved hi*.' zlo$ered (%rtains, thin and

frayed,zall to $ithin five in(hes of the sill,

/hose $indo$ sho$s a stri! of b%ilding land,

"%sso(y, littered. '3r Bleaney too

3y bit of garden !ro!erly in hand.'

Bed, %!right (hair, sixty5$att b%lb, no hoo

Behind the door, no roo* for boos or bags 55

''ll tae it.' So it ha!!ens that lie

/here 3r Bleaney lay, and st%b *y fags

On the sa*e sa%(er5so%venir, and try

St%ffing *y ears $ith (otton5$ool, to dro$n

"he 4abbering set he egged her

on to b%y.

no$ his habits 55 $hat ti*e he (a*e do$n,

His !referen(e for sa%(e to gravy, $hy

He e!t on !l%gging at the fo%r a$ays 55

ie$ise their yearly fra*e the zrinton fol

/ho !%t hi* %! for s%**er holidays,:nd Christ*as at his sister's ho%se in Stoe.

B%t if he stood and $at(hed the frigid $ind

"o%sling the (lo%ds, lay on the f%sty bed

"elling hi*self that this $as ho*e, and grinned,

:nd shivered, $itho%t shaing off the dread

"hat ho$ $e live *eas%res o%r o$n nat%re,

:nd at his age having no *ore to sho$

"han one hired box sho%ld *ae hi* !retty s%re

He $arranted no better, don't no$.

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]P ^ QKDQ KLAAXQLD PF KLVWP,P QD WL.


19/31

#"E6E/E6

Can yo% des(ribe yo%r life at H%ll? 0o yo% live in a flat or o$n a ho%se?

=H= :6#

(a*e to H%ll in 19. :fter eighteen *onths d%ring $hi(h $rote 3r. Bleaney, too a

>niversity flat and lived there for nearly eighteen years. t $as the to! flat in a ho%se that $as

re!%tedly the :*eri(an Cons%late d%ring the $ar, and tho%gh it *ight not have s%ited everybody, its%ited *e. $rote *ost of "he /hits%n /eddingsand all of High /indo$sthere. =robably sho%ldnever have *oved if the >niversity hadnRt de(ided to sell the ho%se, b%t as it $as had to get o%t and

find so*e$here else. t $as a dreadf%l ex!erien(e, as at that ti*e ho%ses $ere hard to find. n the

end friends re!orted a s*all ho%se near the >niversity, and bo%ght that in 198&. havenRt de(ided

yet $hether or not lie it.

#"E6E/E6

Ho$ *any days a $ee do yo% $or at the library, and for ho$ *any ho%rs a day?

:6#

3y 4ob as >niversity librarian is a f%ll5ti*e one, five days a $ee, forty5five $ees a year. /hen

(a*e to H%ll, had eleven staff no$ there are over a h%ndred of one sort and another. /e b%ilt one

ne$ library in 19- and another in 198, so that *y first fifteen years $ere b%sy. Of (o%rse, this $as

a !eriod of %niversity ex!ansion in England, and H%ll gre$ as *%(h as if not *ore than the rest. %(ily

the vi(e5(han(ellor d%ring *ost of this ti*e $as een on the library, $hi(h is $hy it is (alled after hi*.

ooing ba(, thin that if the Bryn*or Jones ibrary isa good library


20/31

line $o%ld (o*e $hen Rd done abo%t t$o5thirds of the !oe*, and then it $as 4%st a *atter of (losing

the ga!.

#"E6E/E6

/hy do yo% $rite, and for $ho*?

:6#

7o%Rve been reading :%den "o as the hard )%estion is si*!le. "he short ans$er is that yo% $ritebe(a%se yo% have to. f yo% rationali+e it, it see*s as if yo%Rve seen this sight, felt this feeling, had

this vision, and have got to find a (o*bination of $ords that $ill !reserve it by setting it off in other

!eo!le. "he d%ty is to the original ex!erien(e. t doesnRt feel lie self5ex!ression, tho%gh it *ay loo

lie it. :s for $ho*yo% $rite for, $ell, yo% $rite for everybody. Or anybody $ho $ill listen.#"E6E/E6

0o yo% share yo%r *an%s(ri!ts $ith anyone before !%blishing the*? :re there any friends $hose

advi(e yo% $o%ld follo$ in revising a !oe*?

:6#

sho%ldnRt nor*ally sho$ $hat Rd $ritten to anyone $hat $o%ld be the !oint? 7o% re*e*ber

"ennyson reading an %n!%blished !oe* to Jo$ett $hen he had finished, Jo$ett said, sho%ldnRt

!%blish that if $ere yo%, "ennyson. "ennyson re!lied, f it (o*es to that, 3aster, the sherry yo%

gave %s at l%n(h $as do$nright filthy. "hatRs abo%t all that (an ha!!en.

B%t $hen $e $ere yo%ng, ingsley :*is and %sed to ex(hange %n!%blished !oe*s, largely be(a%se $e

never tho%ght they (o%ld be !%blished, s%!!ose. He en(o%raged *e, en(o%raged hi*.

En(o%rage*ent is very ne(essary to a yo%ng $riter. B%t itRs hard to find anyone $orth en(o%raging

there arenRt *any ingsleys abo%t.

#"E6E/E6

n his =aris 6evie$intervie$, ingsley :*is states yo% hel!ed hi* $ith the *an%s(ri!t of %(y Ji*./hat $as the nat%re of that $oring relationshi!? s !art of that novel based %!on yo%r o$n

ex!erien(es on staff at ei(ester >niversity?

:6#/ell, itRs all so long ago, itRs hard to re*e*ber. 3y general (onvi(tion $as that ingsley $as )%ite the

f%nniest $riter had ever *et


21/31

Of (o%rse, $asnRt a real librarian, *ore a sort of (aretaer


22/31

as $riters, have s%n al*ost belo$ the s%bsisten(e line. On the other hand, yo% (anlive by being a$riter, or being a !oet, if yo%Rre !re!ared to 4oin the (%lt%ral entertain*ent ind%stry, and tae

hando%ts fro* the :rts Co%n(il not that there are as *any of the* as there %sed to be and be a

!oet in residen(e and all that. s%!!ose (o%ld have said


23/31

sa*e, so*e !eo!le $hose o!inion res!e(t !refer Jill, as being *ore nat%ral, *ore sin(ere, *oredire(tly e*otional.

#"E6E/E6

n yo%r !refa(e to the re!rint of Jill, yo% say it is in essen(e an %na*bitio%s short story. /hat isyo%r definition of a novel?

:6# thin a novel sho%ld follo$ the fort%nes of *ore than one (hara(ter.

#"E6E/E6

:t least one (riti( has (ited Jillas the forer%nner of the ne$ British !ost$ar novel


24/31

letters, $hi(h *eans yo% have to ans$er the*, and there isnRt al$ays ti*e. had a very a*%sing and

%nde*anding (orres!onden(e $ith the novelist Barbara =y*, $ho died in 19;, that arose si*!ly o%t of

a fan letter. $rote her and $ent on for over ten years before $e a(t%ally *et. ho!e she lied

getting *y letters (ertainly lied hers. tal abo%t o%r (orres!onden(e in a fore$ord !rovided for

the >.. edition of her !osth%*o%s novel, :n >ns%itable :tta(h*ent.

#"E6E/E6Can yo% des(ribe yo%r relationshi! $ith the (onte*!orary literary (o**%nity?

:6#

R* so*e$hat $ithdra$n fro* $hat yo% (all the (onte*!orary literary (o**%nity, for t$o reasons in

the first !la(e, donRt $rite for a living, and so donRt have to ee! in to%(h $ith literary editors and

!%blishers and television !eo!le in order to earn *oney and in the se(ond, donRt live in ondon. ~iven

that, *y relations $ith it are )%ite a*i(able.

#"E6E/E6

s H%ll a !la(e $here yo% are liely to stay !%t? f so, have yo% as a !erson (hanged sin(e the $riting

of the !oe* =la(es, oved Ones


25/31

#"E6E/E6

Have yo% ever atte*!ted a tr%ly long !oe*? Rve never seen one in !rint. f not, $hy?

:6#

Rve $ritten none. : long !oe* for *e $o%ld be a novel. n that sense, : ~irl in /interis a !oe*.#"E6E/E6

/hat abo%t a !lay or a verse !lay?:6#

donRt lie !lays. "hey ha!!en in !%bli(, $hi(h, as said, donRt lie, and by no$ have gro$n rather

deaf, $hi(h *eans (anRt hear $hatRs going on. "hen again, they are rather lie !oetry readings they

have to get an instant res!onse, $hi(h tends to v%lgari+e. :nd of (o%rse the intr%sion of !ersonalitys%ally the idea of a !oe* (o*es $ith a line or t$o of it, and they deter*ine the rest. #or*ally one

does rhy*e. 0e(iding notto is *%(h harder.#"E6E/E6

Can yo% drin and $rite? Have yo% tried any (ons(io%sness5ex!anding dr%gs?

:6#

#o, tho%gh of (o%rse those of *y generation are driners. #ot dr%ggers.

#"E6E/E6

Can yo% des(ribe the genesis and $oring5o%t of a !oe* based %!on an i*age that *ost !eo!le $o%ld

si*!ly !ass by? : (lear road bet$een neighbors, an a*b%lan(e in (ity traffi(?

:6#

f (o%ld ans$er this sort of )%estion, Rd be a !rofessor rather than a librarian. :nd in any (ase,

sho%ldnRt $ant to. tRs a thing yo% donRt $ant to thin abo%t. t ha!!ens, or ha!!ened, and if itRs

so*ething to be gratef%l for, yo%Rre gratef%l.

re*e*ber saying on(e, (anRt %nderstand these (ha!s $ho go ro%nd :*eri(an %niversities ex!laining

ho$ they $rite !oe*s itRs lie going ro%nd ex!laining ho$ yo% slee! $ith yo%r $ife. /hoever $astaling to said, "heyRd do that, too, if their agents (o%ld fix it.

#"E6E/E6

0o yo% thro$ a$ay a lot of !oe*s?

:6#

So*e !oe*s didnRt get finished. So*e didnRt get !%blished. never thro$ anything a$ay.

#"E6E/E6

7o% in(l%ded only six of yo%r o$n !oe*s in "he Oxford Boo of "$entieth5Cent%ry English erseaso!!osed, say, to t$elve by John Bet4e*an. 0o yo% (onsider these to be yo%r half5do+en best, or are

they *erely re!resentative? $as s%r!rised not to find Ch%r(h ~oing, arg%ably yo%r single *ost

fa*o%s !oe*.

:6#3y re(olle(tion is that de(ided on six as a li*it for *y generation and anyone yo%nger, to save h%rt

feelings. 3ine $ere re!resentative, as yo% say


29/31

:6#

t see*s to *e %ndeniable that %! to this (ent%ry literat%re %sed lang%age in the $ay $e all %se it,

!ainting re!resented $hat anyone $ith nor*al vision sees, and *%si( $as an affair of ni(e noises rather

than nasty ones. "he innovation of *odernis* in the arts (onsisted of doing the o!!osite. donRt

no$ $hy, R* not a historian._ou have $o %is$in:uish be$"een $hin:s $ha$ see!e% o%% "hen $he&

"ere ne" bu$ are no" `ui$e 7a!iliar suHh as #bsen an% Ba:ner an% $hin:s $ha$ see!e% Hra&"hen $he& "ere ne" an% see! Hra& no" like [inne:ans Bakean% PiHasso^

#"E6E/E6

/hatRs that got to do $ith 4a++?

:6#

Everything. Ja++ sho$ed this very (learly be(a%se it is s%(h a teles(o!ed art, only as old as the

(ent%ry, if that. harlie Parker "reHke% ca b&dor so $he& $ell !edusin: $he Hhro!a$iH ra$her

$han $he %ia$oniH sHale^ he %ia$oniH sHale is "ha$ &ou use i7 &ou "an$ $o "ri$e a na$ional

an$he! or a love son: or a lullab&^ he Hhro!a$iH sHale is "ha$ &ou use $o :ive $he e77eH$ o7

%rinkin: a `uinine !ar$ini an% havin: an ene!a si!ul$aneousl&^

f so%nd heated on this, itRs be(a%se love 4a++, the 4a++ of :r*strong and Be(het and Ellington and

Bessie S*ith and Beiderbe(e. o have i$ all %es$ro&e% b& a paranoiaH %ru: a%%iH$ !a%e !e

7urious. :ny$ay, itRs dead no$, dead as Eli+abethan *adrigal singing. /e (an only treas%re the re(ords.

:nd do.

#"E6E/E6

etRs ret%rn to the Oxford anthology for a *o*ent. So*e of its (riti(s said yo%r sele(tions not only

favored traditional !oeti( for*s, b%t *inor !oets as $ell. Ho$ do yo% res!ond to that?

:6#

Sin(e it $as "he Oxford Boo of "$entieth5Cent%ry English erse, had of (o%rse to re!resent the!rin(i!al !oets of the (ent%ry by their best or *ost ty!i(al $ors. thin did this. "he tro%ble is

that if this is all yo% do, the res%lt $ill be a $orthy b%t boring boo, sin(e there are )%ite eno%gh

boos doing this already, and tho%ght it $o%ld be diverting to !%t in less fa*iliar !oe*s that $eregood or ty!i(al in the*selves, b%t by a%thors $ho didnRt ran f%ll re!resentation. sa$ the* as

%nex!e(ted flo$ers along an only5too5$ell5trodden !ath. thin they %!set !eo!le in a $ay hadnRt

intended, altho%gh itRs s%r!rising ho$ they are no$ being )%oted and anthologi+ed the*selves.

3ost !eo!le *ae anthologies o%t of other anthologies s!ent five years reading everyoneRs (o*!lete

$ors, ending $ith six *onths in the base*ent of the Bodleian ibrary handling all the t$entieth5

(ent%ry !oetry they had re(eived. t $as great f%n. donRt say *ade any *a4or dis(overies, b%t

ho!e *anaged to s%ggest that there are good !oe*s aro%nd that no one no$s abo%t. :t any rate,

*ade a readable boo. *ade t$entieth5(ent%ry !oetry so%nd ni(e. "hatRs )%ite an a(hieve*ent in

itself.

#"E6E/E6

#ot *any have (o**ented %!on the h%*or in yo%r !oetry, lie the $onderf%l !%n on the st%ff thatdrea*s are *ade on in "oads. 0o yo% (ons(io%sly %se h%*or to a(hieve a !arti(%lar effe(t, or to

avoid an o!!osite e*otion?

:6#

One %ses h%*or to *ae !eo!le la%gh. n *y (ase, donRt no$ $hether they in fa(t do. "he tro%ble is,

it *aes the* thin yo% arenRt being serio%s. "hatRs the ris yo% tae.

#"E6E/E6

7o%r *ost re(ent (olle(tion, High /indo$s, (ontains at least three !oe*s Rd (all satiri(al


30/31

:n :*eri(an !oet5(riti(, =eter 0avison, has (hara(teri+ed yo%rs as a di*in%tional talent


31/31

Of (o%rse, the days $hen "ennyson $o%ld !%blish a sonnet telling ~ladstone $hat to do abo%t foreign

!oli(y are over. tRs f%nny that i!ling, $ho is $hat *ost !eo!le thin of as a !oet as national

s!oes*an, never $as la%reate. He sho%ld have had it $hen Bridges $as a!!ointed, b%t itRs ty!i(al that

he didnRt

poems by philip larkin

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