This Be The Verse by Philip Larkin - an analysis and review

 

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My favourite parts of this lyric poem are its subject and its sing-song flow.

They fuck you up, your mum and dad.

  They may not mean to, but they do.

They fill you with the faults they had

  And add some extra, just for you.

This Be The Verse, first stanza, Philip Larkin

It isn't hard to see why this poem has been voted one of the UK's favourite poems. The verses flow almost as easily as a nursery rhyme. But there are dark and heavy themes within. In the second stanza, the poet tells us that human misery is handed along from parents to children. And, in the third and final stanza, that the only way out of this misery is "don't have any kids yourself."

Given the quite breezy flow of the verses, it can be easy to miss these weighty themes, and just get a little lost in enjoying the way the words fall from lips and tongue. The reader can get lost in the flow of the poem before they realise what exactly they are reading.

That simple and explicit first line is unforgettable, and often quoted.

Some consider Larkin a controversial and even unsavoury figure since his death in 1985. Others have argued that he was kind and charming, pointing towards accounts from people that knew him. Either way, his poetry is considered some of the best of the 20th Century. And there is no denying the wit and ability demonstrated in this poem, This Be The Verse. It is a poem I enjoy very much, and one that I return to often.

If you would like to purchase a copy of High Windows by Philip Larkin, which features the poem discussed above, you can do so here.

Thank you for reading. It is both quite easy and extremely difficult to write. If you would like to support this blog, you can buy the writer a coffee on ko-fi.com. All support is much appreciated.