In the Theatre

This is based on truth, in a 1938 Cardiff hospital, they were locating a brain tumour but due to the time era only local anaesthetic was given.

The stanza starts with what the sister on the ward thinking, "only two more on the list" this sounds un-sympathetic but as she only thought it, she kept it to herself. "small voices, small lies" suggesting they don't mean much. Abse gets to a serious point as he talks of the horrors and if they make "a  man laugh" then you should feel bad. Though the operation is made to make you better it can also create more problems as "two more on the list"."

The "patients eyes too wide" showing fear and pain the patients are more awake as they cry "leave my soul alone" shouting in desperation and can't cope with the pain, the nurses and sisters are described as being "petrified" perhaps showing little faith in what may happen. His voice is described as "artic" meaning coldness and a high pitch however the last stanza shows a change in the patient
"leave....my...soul...alone" these gaps in the voice, show breathlessness and gone suggest the patient is slowly dying, this idea is concluded with the "silence"

The Mistake

This poem is about a special plant in the garden. He describes the tree as "once had no identity" but now everyone knows about it. Even though the tree was "from Korea" the tree was sent, but now its found in Wales so "now we had something to boast about" now Wales can have something special to represent it and they were proud because they offered the leaf "proudly."
However "our pagan benediction" their religion will "charm away your cold" and acts as a remedy/ healer.
"Who in all of Great Britain processed such treasure" it makes them stand out from everywhere else. But then came a "summer of drought" following their boasting of this 'treasure' came bad things that became "tired of lies" as became untrue. Perhaps implying if you boast too much about certain things in live they will become untrue and that boast will be taken away.
In the last stanza the "parched tree asserted itself, sprouted ordinary walnuts" it carried on as normal, it offered false hope.

This poem may connect with either Larkin's 'First Sight' with the idea that nature can offer a sense of hope and that out of bad things often comes good however it could link to 'Faith Healing' with the idea of a religious healer- as the tree gave people a sense of hope and healing but in the end turned to be a mistake as all the boasting created the idea to become untrue.

The Boasts of Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd

Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd is a prince, poet and soldier who was killed in battle. He is known as a poet of love.

This poem is boasting about the women he can get as he talks of his women, one for every day. The themes in this poem are mostly love, and how he see's each women differently also the betrayal as he uses more than one women and therefore becomes unfaithful.
He describes one women as "busty next" which describes her physically showing he describes what he see's not how he feels. Another he describes one women as "not to love her is a sin" again perhaps relating to her physical appearance rather than whether he loves her. For the Wednesday's women he uses the word "generys" welsh meaning mistress, he describes "dry old hymns" to please her, showing he will do whatever to impress these women. He describes his Friday's women as his "epic regular" suggesting they often meet, he says "she wants no baby" suggesting it's just for fun. He continues with "let her name be a secret for her husbands sake" showing not only does he fall for any women but also married women.
The poem ends with a sexual innuendo "lick up juices" this may be used to show how he feels towards females and that he can get whatever women he wants, as long as his "busy tongue keeps quiet."

I feel this poem link with Larkin's 'Wild Oats' Larkin describes a women as being out of his league and being a "bosomy English rose" again showing her physical appearance rather than emotionally connecting. I feel both poems focus on the physical side to women but Abse's poem shows how someone can get anyone they want whereas Larkin had more self doubt.

Welsh Valley Cinema (1930)

'Welsh Valley Cinema' is set in, what seems to be a 1930's slums. The cinema seems to be named 'The Palace' but this could also be a contrast because it's found in the 'slums.'  The poem is about the working class whom wait in the "unseen shaft of darkness" waiting for the film to begin.
Going to the cinema brought huge amounts of excitement "thrill" "fairground sight" "carnival" all give a sense of fun and happiness. Abse uses colour imagery by the "changing colours" and the people in the crowd are left breathless by the "musical asthma"

The cinema brought everyone together and the idea that the film "sank to disappear, a dream underground" perhaps symbolises that the audiences dreams are being shown by the films- but become unreachable. Abse uses "gobbing silicosis" to describe the way they breath, the miners have bad breathing due to the dust in the pits. The audience are describe as "observed a miracle" this could imply they have never seen anything like it before, therefore to them its an ideal life and would be a miracle for them to have. Abse uses dreamlike fantasy's both "Goldilocks" and "dab away her glycerine tears" perhaps show a fairy-tale, that dreams are often unrealistic, also dabbing away the tears also could show fake.

The last stanza shows the harsh reality. " woodbine smoked swirled on" the idea that everyday life carries on and that everything was good, "till THE END" when the film finishes it brings back the harsh reality. "Damned fall" everyone exits the cinema to the "familiar malice of the deary, unemployed, gas- lamped street" back to their everyday working class lives. The cinema in this poem I feel offers hope and an escape from reality and in 1930 that is what this type of entertainment offered.
I feel this poem links to Larkin's, "Sunny Prestatyn" because the girls in the posters offered their audience an escape as does the cinema. Both show the idea of the harsh truth of reality that is offered covered by glorified object (posters, film.) It could also link to "Essential Beauty" as negativity was covered by more glorified aspects. The miners in 'Welsh Valley' suffer from poor breathing form the pits but they describe it as "musical asthma."

The Game

This poem has a theme of religion and sport. It is based on a football match at his hometown , Ninian Park. The first stanza sets the scene for a normal match, the crowds, terraces and the bands.

Abse refers to the football game as almost a fantasy, the words he uses to refer to both teams are very different. The team he supports he uses words such as "cherubs" and "wings" symbolising angelic views whereas the opposition is described as "passing evil" and "demons have agents" this links to an idea of corruption in the sport as the "referee is bribed" suggesting the opposition had certain people who bribed the ref. to fix the game.
The 4th stanza represents half-time  as "a distant whistle blows" during the free time, people begin to reminisce old games with "Aston Villa, Orient, Swans"
The sixth and seventh stanza  the nostalgia of the game kicks in as the game restarts however it's described as if they didn't win as people "seem depressed" but the young boys "swarm the field for an autograph" this shows how young and almost innocent they boys are. They don't mind as much as some fans that they lost in a corrupt game but are happy with a footballers autograph either way.

The last stanza shows the stadium once everyone has left, "programmes trampled underfoot" perhaps showing the rush to get out of the stadium. "Dark" and "rain" could be pathetic fallacy used to describe how people are feeling once the game is over, "threatening newsboys shout" this could show they were proud of the game as they "shout" and want to tell people. However the use of "threatening" gives a sense of danger or fear.

Return to Cardiff

'Hometown'; well, most admit an affection for a city:
grey, tangled streets I cycled on to school, my first cigarette
in the back lane, and, fool, my first botched love affair.
First everything. Faded torments; self-indulgent pity.

 

This poem shows how Cardiff holds so many memories for Abse and his first experiences whether good or bad. However now he feels like an outsider as his return seemed like a "raid on mislaid identities" As he moves around the city he finds certain memories such as seeing his grandfather, all the memories shape how he liked the town but now everything has changed as "for what I wanted it to be" for Abse now is just a "city of strangers" and his connection with the city has gone.

Even the places and illusory is different the only thing that holds true memories are "the smell of ripe,  damp earth"

 

The "other Cardiff", the one he had a connection with and remembers has gone and "the boy I was not and the man I am not met" this links to childhood memories and growing up as the boy he was when he was young disappeared with the old memories and the man who he would of become if he had stayed never existed- therefore never met, so he "walked on" and carried on his life he lives now.
This poem could link to Larkin's 'Here' as though that poem has a third persona it still describes a certain place which holds some memory.  



Talking in Bed

Talking in bed ought to be easiest,                                   (it isn't as easy)

Lying together there goes back so far,                              (intimacy)
An emblem of two people being honest.             (paradox- two people lying cant become honest)

 Yet more and more time passes silently.            (no communication. lonely)
Outside, the wind's incomplete unrest                ( un-comfy)
Builds and disperses clouds in the sky,              (clouds covering the truth)

 And dark towns heap up on the horizon.          ( cant escape/ no freedom- nothing to look forward to.)
None of this cares for us. Nothing shows why
At this unique distance from isolation               (lonely, isolation)

 It becomes still more difficult to find
Words at once true and kind,                                            (hard to find things to talk about)
Or not untrue and not unkind             (absence in intimacy, never be honest- hurts someone's feelings)

 

Larkin uses pathetic fallacy to show the relationship, in the 2nd stanza, the wind's unrest may show a stormy, dull weather showing a problem. This poem shows the pessimism in relationships and human nature and how people supposedly act. It also comes across as anti-women as you have to be careful what you say to them encase you make them upset but in reality they aren't necessarily weak.

Self's the Man

This poem has a sense of sarcasm about it, the poem is about Larkin's friend(Arnold) who married a women to stop her getting away. Larkin feels if your single you are allowed to be selfish but as his friend is married he can't be.
He describes the women as being "there all day" this has a claustrophobic feel about it and a desire to be alone. In this poem marriage is presented in a cynical view, the idea you can never be alone again and you need to be careful for what you wish for. "Put a screw in the wall" this line is put in italics to symbolise an order, implying women are always nagging and therefore 'Arnold' has to do the DIY. Women are presented in a negative view, they are selfish and needy. Larkin also points out that his money  "she takes as her perk" when really she is spending it on things that are needed (laundry, children)
The tone in this poem is quite casual, making you agree with the writer and their life experiences. Making the poem more realistic. The 6th stanza uses the word 'but' this gets the reader thinking that both the persona and Arnold are both selfish.
The conclusion in this poem is that they are no different as they are both selfish as Arnold's life was selfish before marriage as he "still did it for his own sake" Larkin isn't married because he knows what he can put up with.

Here

This poem is about travelling the repetition of "swerving" gives the idea of movement through different places. He uses an enjambment which creates a fast tone, perhaps symbolising the movement of a journey by a train perhaps. Larkin offers a realistic and pessimistic view in this poem using the landscape to show the urban industrial side and the romantic view on life.
"thin and thistle to be called meadows"-  the romantic view of a meadow is ruined by the harsh thistles, perhaps showing a danger.
"piled gold clouds, the shining gull-marked mud"- offers a contrast with 'gold' and 'mud' nature sounds more appealing but is often undermined.
"workmen at dawn, swerving to solitude"- people work hard all day, they become tired and wait for the peace and relaxation at the end of the day.
"domes and statues, spires and cranes cluster"- again a contrast between the 'domes' sounding appealing and rich whereas 'cranes' is less attractive and gives an sense of building sites, symbolising destruction.
"cheap suits, red kitchenware, sharp shoes, iced lollies"- 'cheap' 'ice' 'sharp' may all suggest danger or darker views. May be showing his prejudice to the poorer and them being unpleasant.
This poem shows how nature can occasionally offer hope and it sounds nicer and calmer.

Ends the land suddenly beyond a beach
Of shapes and shingle. Here is unfenced existence:
Facing the sun, untalkative, out of reach.

 

The last stanza offers hope and freedom. The 'beach' gives a sense of relaxation and opportunity giving an end to bad things. But facing the chance to change becomes 'out of reach' you will never be able to get there. This is a pessimistic view on life. 

Down the M4

This poem is about how returning home, changes people and how afraid he seems to hear news about relatives and friends that have died or "go into the hole" Every visit his mother tells him stories about people who they have known who have suffered or gone, he feels his mothers "beautiful face" is now in "ninth grade" implying that she suffering and becoming worn out- yet it also puts a strain on him seeing her like this as he can feel his "hair turning grey."

In this poem the M4 may represent his journey of life, "bridges that leap over" may symbolise people or obstacles in his life that fade into the distance. Also the line of "Ystalyfera is farther than smoke, and god further" I feel this shows the distance between places he feels fond with are too far, he may feel lonely and once everyone has gone what will become of him.

He starts the last few lines by whistling an "old Yiddish tune his mother knows" he feels closer by remembering her showing again music and tunes can hold memories but "it wont keep" the idea that youthfulness and memories wont stay the same, as traditions, places and people all change.

This poem may link to Larkin's, 'Love Songs in Age' as it shares the idea of youthfulness. In 'Love Songs in Age' the idea that over time feelings and love can change link with Abse's mothers old tune that he whistles.

Red Balloon

I feel this poem is about Abse himself and the balloon representing his religion. The balloon itself "landed where i stood" showing a symbol of him, but at the same time it "shone like living blood" showing it could be a danger as 'red' is often associated with trouble. The balloon to him "was my joy" it made him who he is yet "to no one i dare show it" he was proud of who he was and his religion but can't show it to people as he was afraid of what may happen.

He later goes on to describe how the children acted "rude boys came" "girls of Cardiff sigh" also the fact his best friend cries at the fact its a "Jew's balloon" shows the ignorance of the children and how they may be following what their adults have told them, because Abse was different to them. "Some boys laughed" "some lunged" "Some clawed" "but still it would not burst" this shows how people reacted to others being different to them and the danger it can cause, however though they carry on hating him, it wont change who he is which may be why the balloon never bursts. The idea you can't destroy his religion even if you destroy him as they "bled my nose" and "cut his eye"

Abse seems afraid and scared of what may happen to him and that "to insult my faith and steal my red balloon" it shows you change everyone, you may steal from one but not everyone. This may relate to the holocaust as Abse was a Jew, the idea of trying to kill all the people and steal their life but at the same time you cant get rid and steal a whole race/religion from everyone.  I feel Abse may be implying no matter how hard people try to change others there will always be people different who you can't change, no matter how hard some try.

Leaving Cardiff

Abse grew up in Wales and therefore leaving his hometown was tough, this poem reflects his mood of travelling away. "I prepare to sail from where the docks' dereliction's are" he's sailing away from Cardiff, the idea of dereliction's could symbolise him abandoning his hometown. We get the idea he is leaving by ferry and "black shapes upon the pier, make the furthest star seem near" this could show people waving goodbye, but also could be interpreted as his old life is so far away because he is leaving yet distance wise it isn't that far as they have only pulled away from the mooring.
Abse describes himself as being sad at leaving as "knots of water flow, pump to my eyes and spill" this could symbolise  the build up of emotions and him crying at what he's leaving behind.
The poem reads as if Abse didn't have a choice in leaving as "who would choose to go"  hence why he didn't want to leave, he worries about how much he will change once he's left and if he will be welcome when he returns "can i be the same man twice."
The last stanza is about how "the boats under the hill at Penarth, unload and move on" giving a sense that everything will carry on the same, and though he's leaving he needs to carry on his ways just somewhere else, he needs to move on.

Case History

This poem is about how Abse was a doctor in Wales and the connection he has with some of his patients. The patient in this poem is a Nazi who continues to question and glorify the past, " he praised the architects of German-death camps, but did not know i was a Jew. " this shows the problems caused when you question things about someone you don't know. Abse uses a oxymoron "white blacks" to show both contrast and words that are completely different.
The second stanza is memories linked to the patient that affected Abse's background for example he uses many known German names "Goering" "Himmler" to reflect how he feels they treated him and his family during the war.
The third stanza he talks how he is in the clinics dispensary and how "red berry and black byrony" could easily kill him and harm him like they did to his family. The medicines could act as revenge yet he felt himself treating him "as if he were my brother" which adds a sense of respect. This could show what sort of person Abse is, as he didn't let him suffer because of what he did to them instead he moved on and prescribed the correct medicine to help the man get better.
The title 'Case History' could show both the patient being that certain 'case' and the 'history' being the past and what happened to everyone during the war.

The Whitsun Weddings

Whitsun Weddings is a poem about a train journey on a warm Saturday afternoon, Larkin watches newly weds board at each station as their families wave them off.
The opening stanzas give a laid back feel and a sense of "being in a hurry gone" along with the relaxed scenery "hedges dipped and rose" and a "smell of grass " giving the image of the countryside on a summers day.
Larkin describes the girls as being in "parodies of fashion" and being in "lemons, mauve, olive ochres" that made them stand out and show Larkin's snobbery coming out. The fathers are described as having "broad belts" showing a typical proud father, but from this you get the idea Larkin has respect for the males as saying "broad" means big or fat and without saying those he doesn't seem offensive. Whereas the mothers are "loud and fat" which is much more direct showing he may have little respect for them. He uses an oxymoron "happy funeral" two words that contrast each other and show a best and worst time in life. He describes the girls looking at a "religious wounding"  this also reflects the idea joy but representing loss.
Larkin wasn't part of these wedding, he only observed which allows him to be snobbish about the "fresh couples" and their new start in life.

Reference Back

This poem links to Larkin's other musical poems as there are certain puns aimed with music. Also 'Love Songs in Age' links with the idea of looking back on old memories.
The poem is about Larkin's mother who after his father died lived alone, Larkin would travel to spend time with her. The first stanza starts with speech "that was a pretty one" showing his mother is commenting on the music he is playing "idly." He feels his mother "Looked so much forward to" Larkin vising but he didn't feel the same way.
The second stanza shows a classic blues song of Riverside Blues and how with that song holds memories for Larkin of "The flock of notes those antique Negroes blew" and how that all this time after he was born this song  "made this sudden bridge" a sudden connection between him and his mother and though its plays on a musical term this idea shows that the song hold happy memories for both of them. Even though her "unsatisfactory age to my unsatisfactory prime." means it should be his best time in life but he is no better than his mother's age, showing they both led unsatisfactory life's.
Larkin reflects the "element" as time and that it " link us to our losses" links good memories with older not happy memories and that they "show us what we have as it once was, blindingly undiminished" implying youthfulness and optimism. He reflects the idea that growing up changes things for the worse- perhaps as you understand more and that "by acting differently we could have kept it so" by acting in a different way they could of kept the happy memories  they once had without covering them in worse memories.

As Bad as a Mile

A)Watching the shied core
A)Striking the basket, skidding across the floor,
A)Shows less and less of luck, and more and more

B)Of failure spreading back up the arm
B)Earlier and earlier, the unraised hand calm,
B)The apple unbitten in the palm.

This is a poem about failure and disappointment. The rhyming is the simple as is the poem, the fact the rhyme doesn't change may symbolise the unchanged outcome of throwing an apple in the basket. The idea of an unbitten apple is also a religious symbol representing Adam and Eve, the apple- a forbidden fruit was a temptation for Eve and resulted in failure and irreversible. Perhaps the idea of Larkin tempted to try and score the apple but resulting in failure represents this poem.

The Large Cool Store

The large cool store selling cheap clothes           charity/budget shop,  judgmental
Set out in simple sizes plainly                               boring and plain colours.
 (Knitwear, Summer Casuals, Hose,
In browns and greys, maroon and navy)
Conjures the weekday world of those

Who leave at dawn low terraced houses             working class, industry ( Whitsun wedding- classes)
Timed for factory, yard and site.
But past the heaps of shirts and trousers             work clothes
Spread the stands of Modes For Night:              occasions, best clothes for the night Machine-embroidered, thin as blouses,             interesting colours, smarter

Lemon, sapphire, moss-green, rose
Bri-Nylon Baby Dolls and Shorties
Flounce in clusters. To suppose
They share that world, to think their sort is     distancing himself from lower classes.
Matched by something in it, shows

How separate and unearthly love is,               love -mythical, not cynical
Or women are, or what they do,                      women are cheap, sexism
Or in our young unreal wishes                      (feminine rhyme, sounds like it should rhyme .)
 Seem to be: synthetic, new,
And natureless in ecstasies.

Send No Money

Send No Money          .....is now grown up, but needs help.         (cynical poem)         

Standing under the fobbed
Impendent belly of Time   ............loss of time Tell me the truth, I said                   ........he wants the truth and wants to be able to see the truth
Teach me the way things go
All the other lads there
Were itching to have a bash
But I thought wanting unfair
It and finding out clash

So he patted my head, booming Boy
There's no green in your eye           ........Larkin always saw the truth, he's never been naïve
Sit here and watch the hail
Of occurence clobber life out
To a shape no one sees
Dare you look at that straight?
Oh ,thank you, I said ,Oh yes please   ...........  done what he's been told, has manors
And sat down to wait     ..........see what the future brings.
Half life is over now     ..............middle aged, wasted time
And I meet full face on dark mornings  ............ boring life no excitement.
The bestial visor, bent in             ...............helmet to protect him from the future
By the blows of what happened to happen
What does it prove? Sod all  .............. disappointed in what life has brought.
In this way I spent youth
Tracing the trite untransferable       ...........lost his youth, spent it trying to the  truth in life. Truss-advertisement, truth.

A study of reading habits

When getting my nose in a book                           
Cured most things short of school,               ........was a medicine, made things seem better.
It was worth ruining my eyes
To know I could still keep cool,
And deal out the old right hook              ..........fantasy, he could stand up to others.
To dirty dogs twice my size.                ........... school bullies, tougher than him.

Later, with inch-thick specs,               .......mocking his own appearance
 Evil was just my lark:                       ..........wanted to be evil, but cool (bad-boy?)
Me and my coat and fangs
Had ripping times in the dark.
The women I clubbed with sex!      ....reading offers him fantasies, makes him out to be someone else.
I broke them up like meringues.

Don't read much now: the dude            .......reading doesn't feel the same
Who lets the girl down before               .......realised they aren't true hero's.
The hero arrives, the chap
Who's yellow and keeps the store         ....the colour 'yellow' could symbolise cowardly.
Seem far too familiar. Get stewed:        ... he's read all his life, the characters are all familiar. Books are a load of crap.                ....books don't provide reality and truth they only offer an escape

Each stanza represents a time in Larkin's life- the first being his childhood and how being able to read took his mind of school and made him day dream about heroism and being tougher. The second stanza resembles his adolescents and him making out to be someone else, being cooler and evil so he can get girls. The final stanza is pessimistic and that for so long books have offered him an escape from problems in reality yet he's now realised they haven't helped him as he's lost hope and cant understand the true meaning of being a hero as they aren't true.

MCMXIV (1914)

This is one of Larkin's serious poems, about the first world war. The first stanza opens with "long uneven lines" showing the men signing up at an recruiting office but could also show the trenches of war. Larkin describes it as a normal day and the "sun" and "archaic faces" show a calmness and old fashioned view. The poem offers a sense of patriotism "called after kings and queens" show people fight in the name of their monarch.
The last two stanza's show how the country copes during the war. the idea that the "countryside not caring" shows its a safer place to be and the "flowering grasses" show a summery, calm sense perhaps offering optimism. Along with the "tiny rooms in huge houses" offers a contrast as the excitement has gone and "dust behind limousines" show they are no longer used and how everyday life has changed.
"changed itself to past without a word" showing how quickly time and attitudes change but the idea of "without a word" could reflect the men leaving- no goodbyes as they expect to come home also the  fact they go "leaving the gardens tidy" shows they are ready to return to normal. Also the fact "thousands of marriages lasting a little while longer" could symbolise that they are widowed before they realise or are told but also the idea the husbands are further away showing that love perhaps lasts longer. The last line "never such innocence again" implies that war wont happen again in the same way the first war did, as people will never be as optimistic again because of all the horrors  they saw and how much ww1 changed peoples lives and that the nation changed- women went to work and generations grew up with change.

Naturally The Foundation Will Bear Your Expenses

The title 'Naturally The Foundation Will Bear Your Expenses' shows travel and the idea of expenses being paid for.
"hurrying to catch my comet"- this is a poem about travelling away to India on armistice day. Larkin seems quite distrustful in this poem as he blames "colourless and careworn" crowds ( bland, uninteresting, working class) as making his taxi late. He feels the tradition is "solemn-sinister" serious but also creepy (alliteration, words that should match but don't) also the "wreath-rubbish" at Whitehall again feels quite disrespectful.
The final stanza he exaggerates describing how it made him "throw-up" and the "mawkish ,nursery games" shows a childish, parade of grief. Though the poem seems quite negative Larkin feels "England should grow up" showing he does respect the soldiers that lost their lives but feels the tradition is pointless perhaps implying the tradition wont bring them back but cause grief that wont necessary make things better, therefore Larkin leaves London in the grief of the tradition and heads for India.
"But I out soar the Thames"- this shows Larkin rising above the grief and his own decisions and ignores the fact so feels he should look forward and head to meet his friend.

The Importance of Elswhere

Lonely in Ireland, since it was not home, 
Strangeness made sense. The salt rebuff of speech,
Insisting so on difference, made me welcome:
Once that was recognised, we were in touch.

 

Their draughty streets, end-on to hills, the faint
Archaic smell of dockland, like a stable,
The herring-hawker's cry, dwindling, went
To prove me separate, not unworkable.

 

Living in England has no such excuse:
These are my customs and establishments
It would be much more serious to refuse.
Here no elsewhere underwrites my existence

 

Before moving to Hull, Larkin worked in a library in Belfast. The first and second stanza's explore the idea of being elsewhere and that he feels like an outsider due to the different cultures and accents but even though he felt that "we were in touch" using a paradox that Ireland made sense to him.

The second stanza uses different senses to create imagery. (touch, smell, hearing)

However the last stanza shows his relationship with England, he feels lonely and like an outsider in his own hometown, but feels there isn't a excuse because he is the same as everyone else- therefore people should understand each other.

 

This poem gives the idea that your "this" because of "that"- being somewhere different loneliness makes sense because you cant necessary connect yet he cant understand why he has the same feeling back at home. It offers the idea of 'orientalism' the western vs. eastern and the cultural identity of other areas and places.



Essential Beauty / Sunny Prestatyn

Essential Beauty:
Essential Beauty is a poem which reflects the idea of advertising VS reality. The title alone shows that beauty is believed to be 'essential' and without beauty your nothing.
Larkin describes them as "slums with praise" showing negative things can be covered with high expectations and become out of reach. Larkin uses words such as "shine" and "golden" as a paradox for beauty. The description of "youth" showing how young they are and the way its described is more a fantasy rather than a reality but in real life nothing is like the advertisements.
The second stanza as a repeat of "pure" showing perfection but is then contrasted by "imperfect eyes." The relation to classes is also seen by "tennis-clubs" and "gents" symbolising the upper class but also shows the naïve of them as a "boy puking up" is the true aspect of advertising and being imperfect, this could show people feel they can't achieve from outside their certain class in society.  The last two lines "Who now stands newly clear, Smiling, and recognising, and going dark" the words underlined are a contrast perhaps showing heaven and death. The idea that perfection is clear but the way people get the attention isn't always the right way and therefore damaging.

Sunny Prestatyn:
This poem is about posters advertising holidays to the seaside. He shows how the posters show a better life of "white" and "palms" give a tropical feel and the "hunk of the coast" show its attractive and offers an escape. However Larkin describes the women as "too good for this life" showing he valued the women and again the ages is shown by the "laughed the girl" showing optimism. 
Though the poster offer an escape from reality over time the posters become defaced- the graffiti is very negative with sexual references and that the girl is now "snaggle-toothed."  The graffiti is seen as an attack "knife" "stab" and "scrawls" all have an aspect of violence to them, also he describes the poster as being "slapped up" being the way the brush is sticking the poster up, but also the word "slapped up" could be used to show that the women are treated badly and again offers an violent attack.

Very soon, a great transverse tear   

Left only a hand and some blue.   

Now Fight Cancer is there.  these last lines in the poem sum up Larkin's view- the "transverse tear" could show her sadness and 'tears' but reality shows a tear in the poster. The last line about cancer shows the poster being covered up perhaps showing beauty being replaced with the harsh truth. But it also shows that the violence towards women is ignored as people wont deface a 'cancer' poster showing that people act differently towards certain issues in life.

 



Mr Bleaney

This particular poem is set to be about a elderly man who has died but could symbolise Larkin's life.

 Larkin uses symbolism of objects to show his life by adding extra details "sixty-watt bulb" is a low lit bulb perhaps showing his dull life and the curtains being "thin and frayed" showing the physical state and well-being of the man. Also the idea he was "moved" could show end of life and death showing funerals.
The poem describes the man as having addictions of "fags" and "plugging at the four away" could be a metaphor for betting.

 The final stanza is Larkin's comparison:
That how we live measures our own natures,
and at his age having no more to show
Than one hired box should make him pretty sure,
He warranted no better, i dont know.

The idea that you live your life for so long but at the end what do you really have left, than a "hired box" or coffin to symbolise the end of your life.

The rhyming pattern in this poem in each stanza is (A,B,A,B) the fact the pattern never changes could show that it represent simple and dull life the 'Mr Bleaney led'

For Sidney Bechet

This poem reflects the jazz era and the reflection of memories. The poem is based in New Orleans the hometown of jazz composers and the era. The rhythm of this poem is very disorganised perhaps showing the music as the mixed rhythm reflects the jazz beats.

The second stanza shows the positives of New Orleans with the "balconies, flower-baskets and quadrilles" showing the beauty and romantic side of the city. Whereas the stanza after shows the dangers, "storyvilles" and girls like "circus tigers" show he see's them as animals and are dangerous to human beings. Though he seems the danger Larkin starts the stanza with enthusiasm that thing!" again symbolising the way jazz music is seen. Larkin see's jazz as happiness and a "natural noise of good" and the idea of jazz makes Larkin forget his problems of "long-haired grief and scored pity" and let him enjoy life.

Larkin uses pronouns such as 'me, my' making the poem more personal and showing his passion for music.

Broadcast / Faith Healing

Broadcast:
Broadcast is a love poem about music and a concert. The way Larkin writes implies the music doesn't appeal to him as much as others as he describes the music of "snivelling of the violins" this makes them sound unhealthy and not very appealing. The rhyme in each stanza is similar perhaps showing that their relationship has little excitement and is boring.
Larkin describes his love, in a way which implys he misses her "outline" and "withering" show his memory is perhaps fading. He describes himself as "desperate" in trying to pick her out showing he may be unable to live without her. But the final line in the final stanza sums their relationship up as he wants to look around and see her "applauding" showing he wants her to appreciate him.
The final stanza has pathetic fallacy "leaves on half- emptied trees" this reflects autumn and a changing season.
This poem has some context at the side about Maeve's response to the poem he had written a line that implied that Maeve would rather listen to music than to him which is reflected in the poem. The fact Larkin tries to like and understand music suggests he wants to try and win her back but could also show that Maeve just wants a friendship whereas Larkin See's more.

The poem links to Arundel tomb with the idea of love and art (music) also Wild Oats as again the women aren't as interested in him.
Technique used:
-Caesura
-Pathetic fallacy
-antromorphism.

Faith Healing:
This poem is about a healer, he is describes as having "silver hair" showing his age but along with wisdom also the "dark suit" with the "white collar" shows power and authority but also represents religion. Larkin still become sexist as he describes women as "dumb" with "tears" being stereotypical implying women are weak. Larkin describes the crowd as having "eyes squeeze grief" showing you can tell by their eyes that they have bottled up emotions for so long. Even though the healer has been described as helping the people but "nothing cures" giving a loss of hope and that "all time has disproved" he may be saying that religion cant solve everything.
Overall this poem is mocking the idea of a 'healer' and that there is no cure if you cant be loved, but after all love cant heal everything as the absence of love can be made up by religion.