Take One Home For The Kiddies - Larkin

Take One Home For The Kiddies is a poem by Larkin that includes the themes of advertisement and death. The strap line was used within advertisement during the 1960s. Within stanza one we get the sense that the children in the poem want to get a new pet, however it seems as though they don't value the pet that they are getting and merely view it as an object. They comment 'Mam, get us one of them to keep'. The fact that they use a vague personal pronoun 'them' reinforces the idea that this pet doesn't mean anything to the children and it is just like a toy.

Within the second stanza we get the quote 'living toys are something novel' suggesting at first the children are delighted to have a living toy. Again the reference to 'toy' conveys the pet as if it isn't real, that it is just something that the children are able to play with. However, 'it soon wears off' suggesting that the children then become bored with the pet after a while. It also seems apparent that death doesn't really mean much to the children, we get the sense that this pet can be easily replaced. Larkin is making a comment that children always want the next best thing. The fact that they are 'playing funerals' suggests that the death of the pet is a game to them, it conveys the children's callowness of life and that they truly don't value animals. It almost if they get to play funerals and then it's back to the pet shop to buy another pet.

This poem could link to some of the death poems by Abse such as An Old Commitment, A Winter Visit, On the Coast Road, The Death of Aunt Alice and In Llandough Hospital. All of these poems give different views on death that you can compare and contrast. In terms of Larkin you could link to Home is So Sad and Ambulances.

The Large Cool Store - Larkin

The Large Cool Store is a poem by Larkin that covers ideas to do with advertisement and the working class. From within the first stanza it seems apparent that Larkin is looking down upon working class members within society. The large cool store sells 'cheap clothing'. This is clothing of the working class so it seems as though Larkin is almost sneering at the working class.

Within the second stanza this idea of Larkin sneering at the working class is again reinforced through the quote 'who leave at dawn low terraced houses'. The reference to 'dawn' implies that the working class are always working to enable them to live. The reference to 'low terraced houses' implies a very stereotypical view of where the working class live. However, another reading would be that Larkin may feel sympathetic towards the working class as they live in small houses and are constantly working. The reference to 'heaps of shirts and trousers' may imply a domestic role of working class women and again is a very stereotypical view of them. We understand through this that Larkin is criticising a certain aspect of society.

The listing device within stanza three conveys a general list of crap useless clothing. The 'lemon, sapphire, moss-green, rose bri-nylon, baby dolls and shorties' may convey the idea that there will always be a constant cycle of working class people who will be willing to buy this cheap clothing. The word 'clusters' later on in this stanza reinforces Larkin's idea that the working class in general come in a great number. Larkin also seems to convey the view that the working class don't deserve to be on this world through the quote 'They share that world'. This quote is used by Larkin to exclude members of the working class, they are clearly not part of Larkin's world and are not meant to be.

Within the last stanza we see that the working class also have desires like everyone else in the world and are therefore equal in the ways in which they desire things. Larkin describes how 'unearthly love is'. One reading of this could be that again he is looking down upon them, however it also suggests that they have desires in life too however this is just a facade as it is hard for the working class to achieve what they want to in life because of their background. This is also reinforced later on within the stanza where they have 'young unreal wishes'. Larkin realises that some of them can't have a life like him, which therefore triggers him to feel sympathy towards them. Larkin realises that each and everyone of us feels desire within our lives. There is also evidence that Larkin is misogynistic towards women in this poem where he directly quotes that women are 'unearthly'. There is also a description of the desires of the working class being 'synthetic' which is a horrible description of them conveying the idea that they can't possibly come true.

An Old Commitment - Abse

From within the first stanza of this poem we see that the persona is reminiscing about a time that has gone by. The persona comments 'my kinsmen slain in battle' this suggests that this poem has an element of history to it and may link to the poem by Larkin An Arundel Tomb as it is giving us a representation of change over time and the loss and significance of a previous event. This may also link to a death poem Home is So Sad as the persona is talking about people who have died in the past similar to in Home is so Sad.

Within stanza two the persona feels as though he is worthless now. He questions 'I had a cause then. Surely I had a cause?'. This suggests that as time has gone by the way in which people perceive him has changed. We get this idea that he has become worthless as a human being similar to the ideas portrays in Mr Bleaney by Larkin.

Within stanza three we get the reference to 'blank as stone'. This may suggest that the persona's life has become boring and repetitive as he has grown older and his mundane lifestyle has reminded him of the old days when he had a purpose within the world.

Stanza four conveys the idea that the persona is travelling. The 'back of brightness' symbolises something positive, this may remind him of the positive lifestyle that he used to have, however he views the back of brightness which suggests that brightness is fading and that positivity in his reality is no longer there, useless and no purpose in life has taken it over.

Stanza six describes a rather colloquial manner in which the persona is viewing the sunset. He simply states things. This could reinforce that his lifestyle has become normal and that he used to have a sense of adventure in his life and purpose.

Within the last few stanzas we get the sense of isolation. The persona comments that everyone has 'departed' literally meaning that he is alone in this vast world. He used to have old commitments when he was young but now these cease to exist. All he can do now is look out into the night and simple observe and watch.

A Heritage - Abse

A Heritage by Abse seems to be about Welsh heritage and how this has become destroyed within our modern world. The poem seems to be either told by a narrator who watches change over time, and who is constantly monitoring and to whom is clearly visible how the world is changing, and the role of this 'Black-robed God' in this. Moreover, the tone of this is subtle but with sometimes explosive and violent words, such as 'petrifier' and "grim". 'Comradeship and suffocation' used within the first stanza are contrasting words, which may convey how much welsh heritage has changed over the years and that in today's world it has literally been suffocated. Through this Abse conveys similarities and differences with the past and present.

Within stanza two we get the reference to 'God'. It seems as though Abse maybe contrasting the modern world with God and how God seems to have done nothing to prevent the world becoming so parasitic. God seems to be 'retreating to his throne of sulphur'. This may act as symbolism for the deterioration of heritage within the modern world, as sulphur is a chemical. Abse may challenge religion in this quote, the fact that God has a 'throne' suggests his superior rule over Christianity. However, it is made of sulphur suggesting that faith in God is also deteriorating within today's society.

There is a vile representation of God within stanza three as he is 'black-robed' and there is also the 'underground forest'. This may act as a metaphor for darkness falling over the world, it is a representation of what the world has become, a dark cold place. We also get the 'pony's skeleton and human skulls' suggesting a decay of something. Abse is reinforcing his ideas that the modern world has become a parasitic place and this links to the end of Sunny Prestatyn where Larkin makes the same comment about society as well.

Within stanzas four and five we get a reference to the other side of the mountain. This seems to be abandoned through the fact that the 'pit-wheels do not turn and the pump house is abandoned'. However, the person on this mountain doesn't seem to mind that God has let this place become abandoned. The fact that the mountain has been 'brutalised' suggests a mistreatment of the natural world.

Within stanzas seven and eight This person is drunk with Methane (Used for Fuel) and raises a mans thigh like a staff; and has also spellbound a woman who is his 'Queen', and she admires unnatural Black-Roses: which is in contrast to the beautiful 'Plains of Enna '. Abse could be making a comment about conflicting religions in today's society and how good and evil are always trying to triumph over one another.

Cousin Sidney - Abse

Cousin Sidney is a poem by Abse about Sidney who goes to fight for his country during World War Two. From within the first stanza we already see that Sidney wants to feel the sense of adventure. He tried to 'break his garden swing, jumping on it' suggesting that he is rebellious in character, however also not responsible with some of his actions and may make wrong decisions as a person. He also wore 'size 12 shoes' and 'at fifteen the tallest boy in class'. This may suggest that he looked a lot more mature for his age when he was younger.

Within stanza two we understand that Sidney has used his maturity to go and join up with the army. It says 'hero Sidney lied about his age'. This may suggest that he is making a wrong decision about joining the army, as he is too young and he is putting himself into a life threatening situation. He is also described as a 'silly ass' suggesting that this is a foolish act, however Sidney has took the decision to go and fight in the war even though it may not be the right decision. We understand later in this stanza that the decision Sidney has made has had devastating consequences and resulted in his death. 'Some foreign corner was forever Sidney' suggesting that he has died while fighting in France.

Within stanza three we get the emphasis of the emotion that the family members are feeling. His father comments 'Missing not dead please God, please'. A desperation for Sidney to return is conveyed through the father, the repetition of 'please' connotes the idea that the father is literally begging for Sidney to return. Abse may be making a wider comment that when it comes to death the large majority of us don't face the realistic truth. The father hopes that he is missing, but this is just hope and not reality, the reality is that Sidney has died.

Within stanza four we then get the emphasis of emotion from the Aunt and the Uncle. The word 'onion' is used to suggest that the death of Sidney has naturally triggered her to feel emotional, this further reinforces that Sidney would of been close to his mother and father. We also get the reinforcement that Sidney has gone now through 'the unswinging empty swing'. Before he was jumping on it, now there is just air. This is reinforcement that once we die we are gone forever. The fact that the aunt stands by this swing suggests that she yearns for Sidney's return, it's as if she wants to go back in time to when he used to jump all over the swing. The Uncle also seems angry when he comments 'Bloody Germans' suggesting that he wants to get revenge on the Germans which acted as a catalyst for many men in getting involved within the war effort.

We then get a very sad ending to this poem through the last stanza. We understand that the Aunt and Uncle 'went missing'. This may suggest that the reality of their sons death may have sinked in and that one day they just decided to get up and leave. Another reading could be that they may have decided to kill themselves as they were so overcome by grief, so that they could go and join their son. I think when Abse makes a reference to 'missing' this could be a metaphor for the family leaving this world and going on to a better place. And now 'strangers' reside there suggesting that the memory of this family has faded, that they now belong somewhere else now, that we do not know of, happy.

This poem clearly links to the Larkin poem MCMXIV as they both cover the themes of war and it's effects on people within the 20th century.

 

Postcard to his Wife - Abse

Postcard to his Wife is about the suffering Abse experienced when loosing his wife. From within the first stanza we get the quote 'dulcamara of memory is not enough'. This suggests that even the treatment for chest pains can not compliment for the heartbreak Abse feels for the loss of his wife, this suggests that Abse loved her greatly and he feels a great human being has been taken away from him. Abse also makes a comment about 'the Venus de Milo is only stone'. Stone is usual cold and hard and it puts it into a perspective of being cruel. Stone can also be broken but not recreated. This reinforces that Abse's loss is forever and there is no way of turning back.

In the second stanza we get the quote 'So come home. The bed's too big!'. There is desperation shown within his voice. This reinforces that mourning and death are major themes within this poem. Abse has become desperate but this just shows how desperate people become once they have lost a loved one, they develop a longing for their return. Throughout the whole of this stanza it seems as though Abse would do anything to get his wife back and it shows a longing for her return.

Within the third stanza it's almost like Abse begins to start dreaming. The quote 'just you, just me' suggests that he wants to be alone with his wife and he longs for this feeling again that he so greatly misses. We get the sense through this poem that Abse is not very good at dealing with grief. He also describes the 'roses and clematis' suggesting that he may of admired the beauty of his wife. This links to the poem Wild Oats by Larkin as Larkin also admires idealistic beauty within bosomy English rose, however the difference is that Abse's love is more affectionate as it is to do with his wife who has died. 'Wild business' may suggest a journey that Abse can not control, that death itself is an inevitable fate to everybody one day.

The fourth stanza still shows this dream world of which Abse is portraying. Abse realises that in reality he can't have his wife back but it's as if he wants to remain in this dream world of his. References to 'holy' and 'old ghosts' suggests a religious aspect to this poem. We also get the Latin reference to 'uxorious' meaning wife. This suggests that he greatly misses his wife and the fact it is written in Latin adds to the love that Abse feels towards his wife. The key themes portrayed in this poem are love, religion and loss.

This poem could also link to Talking in Bed about the idea of love enduring and the fact that Abse misses his wife as well.

 

Down the M4 - Abse

Down the M4 is a poem by Abse about going back to Wales down the M4 as this is the main road to Wales from England. From within the first stanza we get the sense of emphasis through the word 'Me!'. The exclamation mark could convey the idea that Abse is surprised about having to go back to Wales and this may be negative surprise. There is evidence that he is going back to Wales for negative news through the word 'afraid' as he may be afraid of what he is going to be told once he gets there. We also get the semantic field of death and ageing through this stanza. Abse describes how his aunts and uncles 'too, go into the hole, one by one'. This connotes this idea of death as we imagine them being buried. In the last part of stanza one we get the reinforcement that his mother is ageing and that she may be next to die through the quote 'The beautiful face of my mother is in its ninth decade'.

Within the second stanza the persona shares a memory of his mother's story about clocks, This adds emphasis to the fact that she is old. This is further reinforced through the quote 'Each visit she tells me the monotonous story of clocks'. This is a reflection of the mother's age, the fact that it is 'monotonous' suggests something rather boring. The fact that it is a clock as well suggests that life is precious as we go through it so quickly, Abse is commenting that time is a precious thing and this is conveyed through the metaphor of the clocks. Maybe Abse is also commenting that as we grow older ourselves and the world around us becomes a lot more mundane as we have served our own purpose already in life.

Within the third stanza the persona begins to remember the influence his grandmother has left to others, it's as if she is already dead.

Within the very last stanza of the poem the persona then links ideas to the title of this poem. He talks about his journey to South Wales. The fact that the persona comments 'I'm driving down the M4' reinforces to us that the persona is driving and this gives us a link to the title. The bridges also 'leap over me, then shrink in my side mirror'. This acts as a metaphor for life itself, that you can be alive one minute and then next minute you have literally shrunk and you are dead. The persona also comments that 'Ystalyfera is farther than smoke and God further than all distance known'. The ironic thing is that you can't past smoke as smoke can engulf us all, this may act as a metaphor that the son is fighting a loosing battle in hoping that his mother stays alive. The persona also comments 'I whistle no hymn but an old Yiddish tune my mother knows'. This shows that the persona chooses a tune that his mother knows. This conveys the emotions he is feeling towards her right now and conveys the view that she is on his mind while he is driving back. The poem ends sadly through the quote 'It wont keep'. This shows that the tune won't always be around. His mother will go and he will too so the tune won't be around any longer.

This poems main themes is about a journey, old age and death. It can be linked to Here by Larkin. Here shows a journey of thoughts and what he sees around him. In this poem, the persona is travelling back to South Wales and is thinking about the reason why he has to go back. It shows isolation and be alone with thoughts. It differs from Here however as the journey isn't
the central idea to this poem - yet it is in Here. Here shows what the world around the persona is like. The persona in this poem looks around him but doesn't take as much in. This poem also has close links with Ambulances and Take One Home for the Kiddies through the ideas of the value of life and the meaning of death and how close the two are with one another. This could also link to Mr Bleaney through the ideas of persons becoming useless when they have no purpose. The poem also reminds me of Reference Back because it is a poem about old age and not being able to be young again. The difference being is that in this poem the elderly are looking forward whereas in Reference Back the elderly are looking back into the past and yearning for it again.

Sunny Prestatyn - Larkin

Sunny Prestatyn is another of the advertisement poems by Larkin. From within the first stanza the girl 'laughed' on the poster. It's as if she is literally mocking the people who fall for the advertisement of beach holidays on the poster. Larkin could be making a comment that today's society has become laughable because we are so easily fooled through advertisement, Larkin may wonder what we have become as a society. We also get the sense of an idealised version of the sexual appearance of the woman on the poster. 'Hotels with palms seemed to expand from her thighs and spread breast-lifting arms'. This acts as the perfect image that a woman should look like, Larkin is commenting about the dominance of advertisement to do with appearance, it's as if Larkin views women in society as trying to become this perfect sexual image, in a way this quote acts as soft porn and could be considered rather misogynistic towards women.

In stanza two the woman was 'slapped up' one day. This could be because the actually image of her is rather implicit and that she may of been asking for it. However, on the other hand the people that did this to her seem to have no moral conscious. The fact that she was 'slapped' suggests a violent act, that may be stereotypical of teenagers. The idea of teenagers or children carrying out this act is further conveyed through the quote 'was snaggle-toothed and boss-eyed; huge tits and a fissured cock'. This seems rather childish and the word 'snaggle-toothed' suggests this and conveys a rather humorous image which adds a rather humorous side to the poem. We also get the visual interpretation of rape towards the end of this stanza through the quote 'Between her legs had scrawls that set her fairly astride a tuberous cock and balls'. This suggests an immature act, Larkin may be conveying the idea that society is dumming down and that teenagers may have no use within the modern world. So within this poem we also see Larkin being critical of other groups of society similar to some of his other poems such as The Whitsun Weddings and Afternoons.

Within the last stanza it is 'autographed Titch Thomas' suggesting that the person who did this was not afraid to convey his radical views. The graffiti is also done through 'a knife' and this is another common association of a weapon that a teenager would carry around. During the last part of this stanza Larkin makes a comment on the world through the quote 'Now Fight Cancer is there'. Larkin maybe commenting that the modern world has turned into a cancerous almost parasitic place.

Essential Beauty - Larkin

Essential Beauty is one of the poems by Larkin to do with the modern world and looks at advertisement and how it dominates our lives. From within the title 'Essential Beauty' we come to understand that beauty must have to be essential within this modern world, this reinforces the idea that advertisement to do with appearance consumes us and is all around us. There is evidence of this from within stanza one where the advertisement seems to 'block the ends of streets with giant loaves'. From within the first stanza we understand that it consists of advertisement of consumer goods that as people we are easily able to consume because the advertisement of it is all around us. It is also described as 'sharply-pictured' suggesting that advertisement conveys an artificial or ultra-real message, because it is advertisement it acts as a facade of the product because it exaggerates the products benefits. We also seem to get a contrast between the rich and the poor within this poem through the quote 'High above the gutter a silver knife sinks into golden butter'. The rhyming scheme of butter and gutter helps establish to us the contrast between them. This quote could also act as a hyperbole for something excessive or artificial which is exactly what advertising is. Towards the end of this stanza it seems as though Larkin is critical of the materialism that advertisement promotes through the quote 'Well-balanced families, in fine midsummer weather, owe their smiles, their cars, even their youth, to that small cube each hand stretches towards'. Through this we get the connotations of this picturesque advertisement, something that could not be real in the real world as advertising's job is to exaggerate the benefits of a product.

In stanza two it is clear that advertisement seems to dominate our lives when 'They dominate outdoors'. Through this we could interpret that they are ruining the landscape and through this the essential beauty of the natural world. We also get the sense that advertisement makes us feel inadequate through our own 'imperfect eyes', after all advertisement is unrealistic, so as humans we aspire to be something through advertisement that is unrealistic. We also get the sense of the loss of innocence when we become exposed to advertisement through when the boy is 'puking his heart out in the gents'. It could also mean that advertisement is sharply contrasted with the facts of sickness and mortality contained within the real world. We also get the reinforcement that advertisement is contradictory or false through when the 'dying smokers sense'. Maybe the essential things in life may kill us one day and this is also represented through the last quote of the poem 'smiling and recognising and going black'.

In the Welsh National Museum (For Josef Herman) - Abse

From within the first stanza we get the sense that Abse is viewing a painting of himself in the Welsh National Museum. The painter seems to be called Josef Herman and it may of been a surprise that Abse stumbled upon this. He describes Josef as a painter that 'Autumn is your season and twilight is your hour' suggesting a dark side as twilight is midnight and dark and Autumn is the season where nature begins to die. This painting may not be accurate of Abse as a person, it's just that the artist is a dark painter.

Abse describes the painting of himself as a 'melancholy impostor' suggesting that the painter didn't accurately paint Abse.

Within the fourth stanza Abse begins to comment that the painting doesn't look like him at all through the quote 'Josef, this other is not me. This golem hardly looks like me'. Again this reinforces that Abse doesn't believe this painting reflects him as a person, this may cause him to think how other people perceive him in the world and whether he should change. This could link to Self's the Man where Larkin begins to self-reflect about himself through Arnold's life choices and lifestyle.

Within the fifth stanza this painting seems to conjure up bad memories from Abse's past. He seems to be commenting on the holocaust when he mentions 'Poland' and the 'inevitable exile'. We get the impression that this painting brings back sad memories of a horrific past for the Jewish faith reinforcing the idea that this painting is dark in it's nature. We get the idea that material objects can take us back to memories in the past. This links to some Larkin poems such as Love Songs in Age and Reference Back where an object or piece of music brings back memories. The contrast is that the memories are happy in Larkin's two musical poems and sad in this poem.

Abse is further critical of the artist's work in the whole of stanza six. He spots the differences in the painting to the real life version of himself.

Abse then seems to look across at other paintings in stanza eight and criticise the artists who painted them. He comments about 'Augustus John's too respectable W.H. Davies' and 'a prettified Dylan Thomas whose lips pout for a kiss'. Abse is suggesting that W.H. Davies looks to formal in his painting when in real life he is not and Dylan Thomas looks to pretty when in real life he is not. Abse maybe making a wider comment that a still life painting doesn't reflect a person at all, merely what the artist wants the person to be perceived as.

I really struggled with this poem and don't know if I have interpreted it right, HELP!

Elegy for Dylan Thomas - Abse

Essentially this poem is a poem to remember the poet Dylan Thomas. Through the first stanza we get an idea of loss and death through the fact that the town is 'smoke laden' this implies something that has been used up or empty and could be a metaphor for the distinguishing of life.

The second stanza is interesting where Abse comments that 'Death was his voluntary marriage'. This could suggest that Dylan Thomas actually wanted to die through the word 'voluntary'. This could link to the poem by Larkin Dockery and Son, as Dockery volunteered to get married and have children, which Larkin saw as the death of a man's freedom. The death of freedom is also similarly represented in Wild Oats where it would be a commitment to fall in love and this is also the same in Talking in Bed where the couple seem to be trapped through marriage when we get the comparison of the indoors and outdoor world. Throughout the rest of this stanza we get the sense that Dylan Thomas has died and Abse is sad about this through words such as 'mortal', 'ghost' and 'dead'. There is also evidence of this within the third stanza through the quote 'can his energy come back'. The fact that Abse mentions his death a lot signifies that Abse may of greatly admired Dylan Thomas and is sad about his death hence why he mentions the death a lot.

It seems as though within the third stanza Abse seems to reflect on the fragility of human life. He describes 'you half-buried heart drunk as a butterfly, or sober as black'. Abse uses the butterfly in order to convey just how fragile life is and that there is literally nothing at all between death and life itself. This is very much the same to how life is hanging like a thread in the Larkin poem Ambulances. We also get the comparison of 'butterfly' and 'black' this could represent the differences between life and death, that life is like a butterfly where you can soar higher and higher and death is just black and represents the end of everything.

The word 'blaspheme' in stanza four could convey a religious element to the poem. Or on the other hand it could suggest that Abse views him as God-like because of his poetry, after all the 'collected legends' could be to do with Thomas's poetry.

Within stanza five we see that through the death of Dylan Thomas his poetry has also died through the quote 'not far ghost but a quotation cries'. Deeper this could mean that Abse is angry that Poets can be replaced by other poets so quickly and that there is a lack of care in the world.

The last stanza reinforces it was a shock that Dylan Thomas died through the quote 'the yoke broke in his head'. This suggests that it was a shock to the rest of society that he had died, however the simple and colloquila ending could suggest that people moved on easily.

   

Afternoons - Larkin

Afternoons is a poem by Larkin that highlights the themes of love and change through time. From within the first stanza it starts off with 'Summer is fading' suggesting a cycle or renewal after a year Spring will be on its way. After all it is suggesting a change of the seasons with Summer going into Autumn, this could represent darker times ahead as nature begins to die in Autumn we get this idea of change. Larkin could also be commenting on attitudes about love. It could represent that the excitement of love is now over and this is why the Summer is fading. From the 'new recreation ground' we get a further sense of things changing, however this time the change seems more positive as it is a 'new' recreation ground. The 'hollows' of the afternoon is a contrast to the 'new recreation ground' as yet again it could represent a negative change. The fact that the afternoons are now 'hollow' suggests an emptiness, that maybe the children are moving on from the mothers now in life and therefore it is empty without them. We also get a further notion of change within society towards the last part of stanza one. The 'young mothers assemble at swing and sandpit'. A lot of mother's no longer do this anymore as women want to try and gain a further status in society nowadays instead of staying at home. This represents a change into the modern era, that mothers used to do this with their children, however they no longer have any time as they have jobs and are constantly busy.

Within the second stanza we get some ideas about gender roles during the 1950s. The husbands 'stand in skilled trades'. This is a contrast to how the women look after the children in stanza one. Mum's have time for their kids, the dad's clearly don't, so this represents the view that women stay at home and men go out to work not paying much attention to the children. It also represents this idea of change again, that the kids now need less care and they are beginning to grow up. The female stereotype is also portrayed in this stanza through the quote 'An estateful of washing' suggesting that the woman's only role is the domestic lifestyle. Larkin seems rather critical of women at this point as he mentions an 'estateful' which is stereotypical of the working class woman. We come to the conclusion that Larkin is distasteful towards working class women as he believes they just stay at home and carry out the domestic chores. Larkin also paints a perspective about love where it says 'Our weddings, lying' now this could suggest that there love has been forgotten so it is just 'lying' there. Or it could convey a false love and the couple are literally lying to one another that they love each other. Overall this represents this idea of change yet again that love changes and weddings change.

Within the last stanza we also see that Larkin is critical of the working class. He describes the children trying to find more 'unripe acorns' this is focused and egotistical towards the working class, it suggests that there are lots of them and that they come in lots of numbers which is very stereotypical of Larkin. The children now 'expect to be taken home' suggesting that the children do not want to move on with their lives, this is the opposite to change and acts as the antithesis of the poem. During the last part of this stanza we get a further representation of marriage and its effect on people through the quote 'something is pushing them to the side of their own lives'. The 'something' is marriage and this has pushed the women to the side of their own lives. We see that Larkin may feel sympathy for these women now as they have no freedom as they belong to a man. Through this poem Larkin seems to see the negative side to marriage and love and how it can trap you.

Larkin is also critical of the working class, women and marriage in some of his other poems such as The Whitsun Weddings, Self's the Man and Wild Oats. In regards to linking with Abse this poem links closely with St Valentine's Night through this idea of love and marriage and the many
interpretations of it.  

An Arundel Tomb - Larkin

From within the first stanza we see that this tomb has lay here for many years and the depiction of the noble couple is old and ancient. We see the description of them that 'their faces blurred'. This shows that age has weathered the stone and that like memory itself the couple have become almost part of the furniture. However there is a nice side to this stanza, we get the 'faint hint of the absurd' suggesting that overall their love has endured right up until the present day as their existence is still remembered through their tomb.

Within stanza two we get the emotional observation through the quote 'sharp tender shock'. This acts as an oxymoron and also links to Faith Healing and The Whitsun Weddings as we understand that the persona is observing and wanting but is clearly not doing. We also get the emotional observation that comes across as empathetic through the quote 'His hand withdrawn, holding her hand' this is also another further representation that their love has lasted and maybe eternal.

The third stanza paints an interesting picture about the couple. The quote 'They would not think to lie so long' could suggest a number of things. It could suggest that within the modern era we have no idea if they were lying about their love because they descend from such a long time ago. Or on the other hand it could convey the idea that they have no conception that centuries later there tomb would be visited by so many other people. We also get a sense of the difference between the past and the present through the quote 'Was just a detail a friend would see'. Of course, originally this would of been a private tomb for friends and family however it is now a public and historical place for the public to view. This conveys the view that over time the idea of them and their tomb has changed and become a lot more significant. We also learn in this stanza that the holding of the hands of the couple on this tomb is 'Thrown off in helping to prolong'. This suggests that the sculptor put in no effort and that it was merely a happy accident however this accident has a lot more significance now than it did in the past because it conveys something about their love that may have not been true during the time. So that one little mistake changed everything. Also 'The Latin names around the base' shows the wealth of the family and the power and influence that they used to have.

Within the fourth stanza the use of the 'stationary voyage' could represent a change or journey through time. However, they are now stationary meaning their journey is no longer continuing. This could represent something physical and could have a further philosophical meaning.

Within stanza five we get the quote 'The endless altered people' this could suggest two things  one being that generations and generations of people love visiting the cathedral. They are the same people however each time they are different generations so Larkin is right to say that they are 'altered'. It could also mean that the significance of the symbol can often be lost. This is what we want it to mean that love is endless however in reality it is not.

In stanza six they are 'washing at their identities' which suggests that they are striking a pose and there is something deeper behind the stone that they are able to conceal. They are also now 'helpless in the hollow of an unarmorial age' which conveys the view that nobility no longer matters and that it has vanished in the modern day. This is why lots of people now just come to look at the couple however don't understand there meaning as nobility or its legacy no longer has any place.

Larkin ends the poem with the phrase 'what will survive of us is love'. This is proof of commitment however what people don't realise is that it has been built up and is only a qualification making the last line untrue. However we know that at the end of a draft version of the poem Larkin wrote 'Love isn't stronger than death because statues hold hands for 600 years'. This confirms the idea that Larkin believes love is not stronger than death.

This poem has several links with some Abse poems such as Postcard for his wife through this idea of enduring love, A Letter From Ogmore through the representation of a passing of time and St Valentine's Night through  the different depictions of love itself.

Dylan - Abse

Dylan is a poem by Abse where he looks up to his hero Dylan Thomas and idealises the idea of Dylan himself. Abse seems to 'unveil his eyeless staring head' this suggests a rather unnatural look to Dylan that he may not belong on this world. Abse also comments about 'A heard silence. A stone dropped down a well'. This could connote the idea of the shock from Abse from seeing Dylan, it's as if the rest of the world has stopped for this moment. This could also further reinforce that Dylan isn't actually meant to be there, maybe he is a ghost, or an idealised vision of Dylan that Abse seems to be having.

Within stanza two Abse is furthermore complimentary of Dylan as a poet. Abse comments on 'his lust for the arson of the word'. This suggests that as a poet Dylan used words like a fire, as if his poetry was uncountable but creative at the same time. Dylan's life is described as 'impecunious' suggesting he was rather poor and his life also 'slipped from a cupped hand'. It seems as though Abse is sad about this because if the water in this case is a metaphor for life it slipped from a cupped hand and this is rather hard to do if the hand is cupped. This gets to the idea that Dylan shouldn't of died so young and that maybe it was preventable. We get a further representation that fame may of overcome Dylan and it was just to much for him to handle through the quote 'Fame advanced spotlight'. We see that fame is personified in the last stanza and says 'Dilly, Dilly come and be killed' in this case fame is represented negatively as Abse believes this is what killed Dylan. This suggests that Abse views fame negatively and doesn't intend to go down its path in his life.

This poem has close links with the Larkin poem For Sydney Bechet because in both poems Larkin and Abse remember and respect a memorable person that they look up to in life.

A Sea-Shell for Vernon Watkins - Abse

This poem by Abse is about the remembrance of another poet who read his poem out on stage. We get this idea that this poem is about remembrance through words in the first stanza such as 'unreal' and 'unearthed'. Abse speaks of other influential Irish poets such as 'Yeats' and 'David', this is a further reinforcement that this is a remembrance poem as Abse is remembering poets from the past. Within the last bit of the first stanza we get a representation of life and death. Abse comments that 'I lifted a sea-shell from your shadow when you big-talked how the dead resume the silence of God'. Abse is representing the view that when we die God still remains silence, he does not exist in other words to preserve life. Abse is conveying the idea that death is a natural process that each and everyone of us end up having to face. It is clear that Vernon Watkins is someone who is dead that Abse used to know because he 'picks a sea-shell from your shadow'. The shadow in this case represents death, however Abse picks the sea-shell up conveying that Abse has taken a hold on life and is hoping for the best.

In the second stanza we get a contrasting word to the word 'unearthed' used in the first stanza and this is 'earthed', this resembles the change in the countryside around Pennard. Death is also further presented to us within this stanza through the quote 'I found, startled, it's phantom sea utterly silent - the shell's cochlea scooped out'. The word 'phantom' gives us a sense of something unnatural or horrible that shouldn't be on Earth giving a negative portrayal of death. It is interesting that the cochlea has been scooped out. If the sea shell is a metaphor for life in this case then it's inner fragment has been taken which presents the view that death has overridden life now within this sea shell. This could be why there is only 'one shadow at Pennard today', this one shadow just represents death and not life. During the end of this stanza we get the contrast between the sea-shell and the poet on stage. The sea-shell's sound is described as a 'void' and an 'interruption of sound' in comparison to the poet who is described as 'who once sang loud'. Abse could be conveying the view that the world itself is quiet without the poet now. After all a 'void' is completely empty so maybe Abse feels empty without the poet no longer being around.

Within the last stanza Abse comes to the view that in the end we are all forgotten as humans. He describes Watkins as being 'dispensable' because other poets are easily able to replace him once he has died. Abse also uses the quote 'the young asking, Who?' This is similar to the message conveyed in Two Photographs that eventually after generations to come we become forgotten or what we once were becomes tampered with. This also has close links to the Larkin poem 'An Arundel Tomb' where the job of the tomb has changed over time. Family members would of only used to visit it however now it is open to the general public to view who may not understand the tombs underlying message. Within the final part of this stanza we see that sea-shells should be used on beaches to remember the dead who have now gone. However Abse comments that 'this shell is useless' conveying the idea that once we die we become useless as we have no importance within the world no longer.

This poem links with For Sydney Bechet as it is a memory poem of a poet that Abse admires and will remember and cherish similarly to how Larkin views Sydney Bechet. This poem could link to some of the death poems by Larkin such as Home is So Sad, Take One Home for the Kiddies and Ambulances as Death is also a prominent theme within this poem and it is interesting how death is represented within the different works of Larkin and Abse. This poem also links to An Arundel Tomb as I mentioned earlier.

MCMXIV - Larkin

MCMXIV means 1914 in Roman numerals, this poem is a war poem to do with the beginning of the First World War. From within the first stanza we get a sense of a happy atmosphere amongst the soldiers through quotes such as 'the sun' and an 'August Bank Holiday lark'. The first stanza is used as dramatic irony by Larkin as we know that millions of them are going to die. However, during the time soldiers did consider it an August Bank Holiday lark and thought that the war would come to an end by the time of Christmas. However, Larkin does hint to us that some soldiers are rather uneasy about going off to war, they are 'grinning'. This is a form of smiling but very intensely, this could be a façade that some of the soldiers are putting on to comfort everyone, however deep down they are terrified about going off to war.

Within stanza two we get a sense of the past through words such as 'shut' and 'bleached'. We also get a sense of the old fashioned lifestyle within this stanza through various parts. For example, 'farthings and souvenirs' are forms of old money, 'dark-clothed children' gives us a further representation of the old fashioned clothing and of course 'tin advertisements' were brands that were made during the 1940s. However the 'tin' could also have a wider meaning within this poem as it represents emptiness. Maybe some of the soldiers have to feel empty about going to war, they can't convey any inner emotions.

Within stanza three we get a representation of the natural world being effected by war. Larkin comments 'countryside not caring' suggesting that a lot of the countryside wasn't effected by the war, hence why children were evacuated to the countryside. However, on the contrast we get a representation of how the war is effecting cities. 'The place names are all hazed over' suggesting that many major cities are loosing their overall identity because of the threatening invasion from Germany. We also get a sense of what is to come for the future through the quote 'shadowing Domesday lines'. This suggests an uncertain and dark future for Britain during the war. We also get an insight into how the war changed the class structure in Britain through the quote 'The differently-dressed servants with tiny rooms in huge houses, the dust behind limousines' of course all of this changed after the war because of the effects it had on the British population. People from every background helped one another and this helped us become closer as a nation and through this got rid of Britain's class structure.

The last stanza reflects how the war will effect the soldiers. The repetition of 'Never' explicitly states the fact that this was a war to end all wars and that a war on this scale should never happen again. Of course we know this is false as there are always wars across the world. The word 'innocence' suggests that the soldiers literally lost their innocence after the war, when they had come back they had changed. We get the positive imagery as well through the quote 'The thousands of marriages' suggesting that the war preserved many marriages. However we end the poem on a negative note with 'Never such innocence again' suggesting that many of the soldiers went out to die, the tragic point being that they were innocent from what the war was actually going to be like.

Send No Money - Larkin

From within the first stanza of this poem we are able to see that the persona is in the mind of a child and is also personifying time. He describes time as an 'Impendent belly'. Larkin conveys a negative outlook on time, the use of personification gives us the idea that it is looming, hanging and unpleasant. An uncertain future is also conveyed to us within this stanza when the persona says 'Tell me the truth'. This conveys the idea that he is uncertain of what is to come. The other boys in the first stanza are 'itching to have a bash' suggesting that the other boys are ignorant of their future, they just go along in life waiting for things to be given to them. However, we see that Larkin is the only one dedicated to sitting around and waiting for what is going to happen in the future through the word 'wanting'. This suggests a dedication to the future unlike all his friends. In a sense, this seems as if this is Larkin's desire as he wants to appear more superior than his friends.

Within the second stanza we see how excited the persona becomes as he is about to be told his future. Through this Larkin is suggesting that if we sit and wait in life then we get answers a lot more quickly. However, if we keep on begging this doesn't help and it just makes matters worse. From this stanza we are able to make links of Larkin being an observer through other poems such as The Whitsun Weddings, Ambulances, Self's the Man and Mr Bleaney, because in each of these poems we see that the persona or Larkin are observing something that is taking place, this then leads on to a deeper meaning that the persona or Larkin presents to us.

We see from the last stanza that the persona has watched over too many lives and has come to the realisation that 'half life is over now'. Overall the persona has come to realise that he has aged quickly and at a fast rate. We also get some personification to do with death in this stanza through the quote 'bestial visor'. The lines 'What does it prove? Sod all' suggests that the persona may regret looking at other people's lives as he forgot about his own life, this contrasts to the views expressed in the first stanza. Through this Larkin maybe commenting that the older you become the wiser you get and the more you look back on your own life and pick out the mistakes you made. Larkin comments that 'I spent youth' suggesting that he literally wasted his own youth. The fact that the poem is called 'Send No Money' suggests Larkin feels he has to live with how he has lived his life and he doesn't need repaying for it.

Poems by Larkin that link in with the theme of regret and loss would be Dockery and Son, Home Is So Sad, Wild Oats and Love Songs in Age. In regards to comparing with Abse I would say it compares with Musical Moments 2 through the idea of regret that the music teacher has died and On The Coast Road as both the characters in the poems experience ageing and look back on it's effect within their lives.

Quests - Abse

Quests is a poem by Abse that seems to reflect certain beliefs, however this poem has a dark nature to it. The poem starts off with 'To reach the other world some sought hemlock in waste places'. This could suggest that the persona is a rather unstable character as it seems as he is about to commit suicide, as hemlock is poisonous and to 'reach the other side' is to effectively die as you leave this world. The reference to 'waste places' could be a reference to the real world and the fact that it is a waste could suggest the persona's desire to leave it. This could also reflect his religious beliefs as he believes there is a better world on the other side once you die.

In stanza two there is a reference to some Jewish beliefs through the word 'messiah'. This is the promised deliverer of the Jewish nation prophesied in the Hebrew Bible. So this stanza reinforces Abse's religious beliefs. Abse later comments that 'gods had human faces and were flawed' suggesting that there is a weakness to them. This could further reinforce the abandonment of religion as gods in this case seemed to be flawed as they haven't helped the persona. This could link to Larkin through this idea of Atheism being implied.

In stanza three there is references to Greek mythology through the quotes 'prying Apion', 'Conch' and 'summoned Homer's spirit'. This could reinforce the persona's interest in Greek mythology and gives us an insight into further beliefs.

Within stanza four it seems as if the persona is back to reality. He is 'back at Cardiff'. However we also get further references to Greek mythology through the word 'satyr' which again reinforces the persona's beliefs.

The last stanza conveys are rather fanatical ending to the poem. The persona comments 'I'll never hear the spheres, their perfect orchestra, or below, with joy, old Trinton playing out a tune'. It seems as though the persona wants to go somewhere else other than this world that is more exciting and adventurous, hence why the poem is called Quests, it acts as a literal metaphor for a journey. I think this poem is about trying to get somewhere you can't and it also establishes lots of religious beliefs as well.

This poem has close links to many of the belief poems by Larkin as they all encompass this aspect of religion. This includes Nothing To Be Said, Water, Days and Ignorance.  

The Death of Aunt Alice - Abse

This poem seems to be about the death of a loved one which is suggested in the title as it is Abse's 'Aunt'. From within the first stanza it seems as though it the persona feels as if the wedding doesn't reflect the aunt's interesting personality. The people at the wedding are 'orderly. each mourner correct, dressed in decent black'. However the persona goes on to say 'where's your opera-ending? For alive you relished high catastrophe'. This suggests an interesting personality to the aunt, as she goes against the norm of what a normal person would do suggesting that the persona knew her and loved her greatly. We also get the connotations that this may be a religious poem through the ending in stanza one 'your bible Page one of a newspaper'.

Stanza two reinforces the bizarre personality of this aunt. She 'talked of Typhoid when we sat to eat; Fords on the M4, mangled, upside down, when we were going for a spin'. We get a sense that this aunt has a unique personality to her. Even though she is now an adult, she still has a wonderful and creative imagination. This further reinforces that it is a great loss that she has died as it seems as though she would have been a pleasure to be around. This contrasts to some of Larkin's poems such as A Study of Reading Habits, because as the persona ages in that poem he ceases no longer to have a creative imagination like he did when he was a child. It also contrasts to the poem Wild Oats as Larkin only values women for their appearance and looks for the idealistic woman, he doesn't appreciate women for their personality unlike Abse. This links to another Abse poem Two Photographs where Abse values his two grandmothers based purely on their personalities.

Within stanza four we still get a sense of the intimate detail of the aunt. She is described as 'so witty, so feminine, Pity she ended up in a concrete mixer'. The use of the intensifier 'so' really emphasises how much the aunt's personality meant to the persona. We also get the reinforcement of her lively lifestyle when she 'ended up in a concrete mixer'. This suggests that she always had a good time as a person and never let dullness or anything negative come over her. Maybe through this Abse is making a wider comment that we should value life and not waste it as it is short so enjoy it while you can.

In the last stanza we get the reinforcement of Aunt Alice's death through the quote 'But now, never again, Alice'. The poem ends with 'your eternity' suggesting that she was such a good person the persona wants her to live on. However, this is not possible.

This poem has close links with the Larkin poem Take One Home For The Kiddies as both poems comment on death and the value of life. However, the two poems both contradict one another as well. In Take One Home For The Kiddies the children don't value the life of the pet. They are 'playing funerals' which suggests that animal life to them is purely a game. However, in this poem it seems as though the persona really reflects on the life of Aunt Alice as she was such a bright and vibrant person.

First Sight - Larkin

First Sight is another of the shorter poems by Larkin to do with beliefs and like Water the poem is positive in nature. The first quote from within the first stanza reinforces the positive nature of this poem. The 'lambs that learn to walk in snow' suggests that these lambs are new to life and have many opportunities ahead of them. However, they also meet a 'vast unwelcome' representing that anything could happen to these lambs. In a sense, Larkin is commenting on the harsh side of life. This is further reinforced through other parts in this stanza such as 'sunless glare' and 'is a wretched width of cold'. We also get the rhyming scheme in the first stanza through 'fold and cold'. These adjectives are used to describe the world and through this life itself.

Within the second stanza we get the intense description of the mother lamb, 'Her fleeces wetly caked'. This is intense description of the baby lambs first being born, this links to this idea of nature and how all of life is born from it. Larkin is conveying a more philosophical idea about the wider world through this. We also get the quote in this stanza 'Earth's immeasurable surprise' suggesting that 'Earth' itself is going to hit the lambs with surprises in life. In a way, Larkin uses the lambs as a metaphor for human life, assessing the view that life isn't always easy that it can get hard sometimes. The ending of this poem is very interesting through the quote 'What soon will wake and grow utterly unlike the snow'. Larkin has used an oxymoron to compare something growing and something dying. Larkin is commenting that this is what life is like sometimes, it can go from one extreme to the other, therefore through this the oxymoron is also a metaphor for human life. The use of the snow represents winter and death and is a total contrast to something that has just been born such as the lambs. Larkin's main message within this poem is that when something is born it has many opportunities ahead. However when something dies it has lived its life already. Overall Larkin's beliefs on life in this poem isn't entirely negative and links well to the other Larkin belief poem Water.

In a sense this poem could link to the poem by Abse A Wall as in both of these poems we get the sense of a hopeful future for life. This hopefulness is represented to us through nature and setting.

As Bad as a Mile - Larkin

As Bad as a Mile is one of the negative belief poems by Larkin. From within the first stanza the 'core' of this apple could be a metaphor for human life. The fact that it is 'skidding' though could suggest something unstable. The apple is a metaphor for the journey of human life. Larkin is representing the view that each and everyone of us are unstable when it comes to making choices in life, maybe we make the wrong ones.

In the second stanza Larkin describes this action as showing 'less and less of luck, and more and more of failure'. Maybe as we grow up we become more of a failure in life, Larkin is making a comment overall that humans fail in the everyday routine of life. The fact that the apple is unbitten suggests that many of us never experience what life is, we have not bitten into the ripe side of life, however instead we fail in life and don't try hard enough.

Water - Larkin

The name of this poem 'Water' reinforces a positive nature to this poem and is one of only two of the positive belief poems by Larkin. The quote 'If I were called in to construct a religion' suggests that Larkin wants to create his own religious belief which reinforces that he doesn't believe in current religious beliefs because as we know he is atheist.

'Going to church would entail a fording' suggests that Larkin can't be bothered with religious beliefs or he doesn't trust them. There is further evidence for this through the fact that the church's religion is 'dry'. Now if Larkin's religion was to be made from water then dryness is the opposite to wetness which suggests that Larkin doesn't trust the church.

Within stanza three 'a furious devout drench' is used as an oxymoron to represent contrasting views in modern day religion, this maybe why Larkin doesn't have a current strong religious belief. 'Drench' is a reference to water however at a more extreme level.

We get a good ending to this poem when Larkin represents his new religion positively. It would 'congregate endlessly' representing the view that it would have endless positive attributes to the world through the 'any-angled light'.

This links to the poem by Abse Red Balloon as Abse and Larkin both convey their religious beliefs through both of these poems.

Nothing To Be Said - Larkin

From within the first stanza of this poem we get a negative portrayal of life. The whole of this stanza highlights the fact that wherever you come from in the world and whatever we do with our lives you will die one day. This reinforces Larkin's idea that is there any point in making the right life choices if we are all just going to die one day. Larkin also comments that 'life is slowly dying' reinforcing this idea that everyone is slowly dying in life and no one not even religion can prevent this from happening. This view further reinforces Larkin's beliefs as a person.

The second stanza represents the view that we do stuff in life to deter from the idea of death. This is represented through the quote 'So are their separate ways of building, benediction, measuring love and money, ways of slowly dying'. 'So are their separate ways' links to this idea of life choices, that people do different things in life but at the end of it all we all die. The quote 'The day spent hunting pig or holding a garden-party' comes across as fairly colloquial. This could suggest that the everyday stuff or characteristics we have as human beings are slowly forgotten when we die, which suggests that the things you have done in your life are slowly forgotten once you are dead.

The last stanza represents the time span of life itself. 'Others it leaves' conveys the idea that 'it' is life, in this case, Larkin describes life rather abstractly suggesting that there is no point to life. We also get the circularity of this poem through it ending with 'Nothing to be said' this could suggest a lack of progression in life and this is why in this poem Larkin views it negatively. Everyone seems to follow the crowd almost which makes life pointless so therefore there is 'Nothing to be said'

This poem could link to the poem by Abse A Wall as the wall in that poem is represented as having no purpose as it just stands in the middle of a field, life is represented in this poem as being pointless similar to how the wall is represented.

At Ogmore-by-Sea this August Evening - Abse

From within the first stanza we see a description of something positive. There is the description of the 'estuary'. From this word we get the idea of something small being a lot bigger in the world. This links to the poem by Larkin Here where the persona looks out towards the beach and thinks about this never ending freedom, we get the same connotations through the estuary in this poem. There is also a room described as 'darker than the darkening evening'. This could be reflective of self environment and the personality of the owner could reflect the description of the room much like in the poem by Larkin Mr Bleaney.

We also get the reference to 'music' in the second stanza, however it 'summons night' which could suggest something negative or dark. We also get further negative connotations through when the 'sun sinks to Australia' suggesting that it is now far away reinforcing that there is no hope. We also get a mention of a 'death boat' in this stanza. This could represent a loss that is remembered through the music being played and through this link to Reference Back by Larkin.

We get a contrast in stanza three with the word 'carnival' considering the dark nature to this poem. 'No foghorns howl', animals usually howl when they are in distress conveying this idea of the loss of somebody in this poem. Towards the end of this stanza the persona is reminiscent of his father through the quote 'Here, father, here tonight we'll catch a bass or two, or dabs, or cod'. This is similar to the poem by Larkin Home is So Sad where Larkin remembers his mother through material objects in her house that she used to own.

Within the last stanza we get the comment that only his father's skeleton stands, reinforcing this theme of death. On a positive note however it could suggest the son remembers the father even though he is not in the flesh anymore. The record also stops in the last stanza and we are left with the 'tumult of sea'. This suggests that the music itself reminds the son of his father and when it stops he is back to usual everyday reality.

A Letter from Ogmore - Abse

From within the first stanza we get the impression that time has slowly gone by. 'Goodbye 20th century' suggests that this century has passed on by. There is also the mention of 'Hiroshima and Auschwitz' which conveys that the persona is remembering and preserving historical events of the 20th century.

The second stanza is much like the first using the repetition of 'Goodbye, 20th century' this again reinforces this idea of the passing of the age and maybe the fact that this is a memory poem. The quote 'even my nostalgia is becoming history' suggests that the persona's longing for the past is now in the past, maybe the persona doesn't like the speed in which time moves on. The persona also mentions the 'genealogy of ghosts' so he is reflecting on how time moves on and how fast generations of people live on, reinforcing that if the dead aren't preserved then they are forgotten like ghosts.

Within stanza three the persona contemplates his own existence, the remembrance of the pass makes him realise how lucky he is to be alive. The present is described positively through words such as 'mellow, unrolling and holy'. The persona comments 'I survive'.

It is clear that the persona starts to remember certain legends that have happened by the coast that he is at in the present. This is represented through the quote  'a fabulist like lolo who, from this same coast, would see seven sails where there was but one'. The person who is lolo is described as a 'fabulist' suggesting that he this person also reminisces over the past and especially fables. This reinforces that the place the persona is in within the present holds legends, fables and an ancient history.

The repetition throughout this poem of 'Goodbye 20th century' represents a passing of time from within the present. As the persona also comments 'Goodbye, I-must-leave-you-Dolly, goodbye Lily Marlene'. This suggests something negative about the passing of time, that it will pull away the persona's loved ones.

Within the last stanza the persona reflects his hate for the modern world and uses the natural world positively as something that shouldn't be consumed or industrialised over with. He comments that 'now secular strangers come sealed in Fords and Nissans'. The persona is commenting that the modern world has taken over everything we do and this is why the persona reminisces over the passing of the past because there is no longer any of it left. He comments about the 'congregation of cars' suggesting that we are surrounded by the new. We get a sense that the natural world reminds the persona of the past through the quote 'to this opening estuary, so various, so beautiful, so old'. The persona is commenting that the natural world is not damaged yet, however the congregation of cars are going towards this natural landscape suggesting that everything new will consume the world one day.

This poem links to the poem by Larkin Here, as it uses setting to make a comment about industrialisation and how it is effecting the world and Larkin also uses the natural world to convey this idea similar to how Abse does. It also links to An Arundel Tomb by Larkin as both poems look at the passing of time.

Uncle Isidore - Abse

Uncle Isidore is a poem by Abse in the eyes of the persona who seems to look upon this Uncle Isidore. Within stanza one the persona seems to 'observe' Uncle Isidore'. This suggests that this persona maybe acting as an all seeing presence, he doesn't just look at him he observes him which suggests he is looking at him however in a thoughtful manner. The persona also comments that this person is 'sprawled like Karl Marx' suggesting he has some importance in this poem. Karl Marx is a memorable person. This could link to the poem by Larkin For Sidney Bechet, where Sidney Bechet is the memorable person being remembered. However he is 'slumped, dead or asleep', which represents the view that the character has an unproductive, repetitive lifestyle that he maybe poor or a tramp. This links to the poem by Larkin Mr Bleaney and the persona in Mr Bleaney where they both don't have a purpose in life. The persona seems rather harsh in the first stanza, he comments 'I think of Uncle Isidore - smelly schnorer'. This reinforces the view that a lesser human being reminds him of his Uncle Isidore. The persona may view his uncle as lesser than him in status. After all, 'schnorrer' refers to the aspect that he is a beggar. The mention of Karl Marx could suggest a historical context to this poem. The persona also comments 'my foreign distant relative, not always distant' suggesting that Uncle Isidore is the persona's relative. 'Not always distant' suggests that the two know each other fairly well.

In stanza two we begin to think that Uncle Isidore may be a character that is an illusion in the persona's mind. The persona comments 'Before Auschwitz, Treblinka, he seemed near, those days of local pogroms, five year programmes'. The persona comments that his Uncle was near to him until this happened, suggesting that like Abse, his uncle was also Jewish so may of experienced being in a German concentration camps. However his uncle may now just be an illusion as he is probably dead. However, the persona compares him to Karl Marx suggesting that he views his uncle as a memorable person in his own way. The last part of stanza two conveys the idea that Uncle Isidore looked to God for guidance in such a horrific time period of history.

Within the third stanza Uncle Isidore is commenting that men can take a stand and become memorable people through the quote 'what difference between the silence of God and the silence of men?' The persona also talks about a 'land of uz' reinforcing the idea of an equal world, where Jewish people are not persecuted.

In the last stanza Uncle Isidore plays 'to the master of the universe', the master of the universe is obviosuly God, so this reinforces Uncle Isidore's Jewish religion.

The main theme of this poem seems to be about our morals as human beings, we don't want a repeat of the persecution of the Jewish race. The persona is rather judgemental of Uncle Isidore at the beginning  and this could link to the poem Mr Bleaney where the persona is judgmental of the person who prevously stayed. We also have relgious imagery explored which could link to some of the smaller Larkin belief poems. However, this is also a contrast to Larkin, who is an atheist. Abse is Jewish and it seems as if Uncle Isidore is as well. It also links to For Sidney Bechet because both Abse and Larkin convey the ideas of being respectful and remembering memorable people.

Imitations - Abse

Imitations is a poem by Abse about a mother and her son. We come across an immediate link with Larkin through the quote 'my son and I' this links to Dockery and Son through the fact that the poem is about a father and his son. 'snowflakes whitewash the shed roof and the grass' represents something that is fresh, pure and clean. Maybe this is a metaphor used by Abse to represent a good and genuine relationship between the mother and the son. This idea of freshness or new life is further reinforced through the word 'April' which is Spring. It is clearly the mother's name so this could suggest something about her overall personality. It is interesting that she describes her son as a 'chameleon'. Chameleons are a species of lizard that change colour to adapt to the background. This could be a metaphor for her sons emotions as he is '16' so he is in his teenage years. We also get further comments about the son through the quote 'my soft diamond'. Diamonds are the hardest stones, so the mother could be saying that her son is hard on the outside but soft on the inside. He is also described as a 'deciduous evergreen' in this stanza. 'Deciduous' means the falling of maturity or the dropping of a part that is no longer needed. However, an evergreen tree withholds all of its leaves for all four seasons. This could be a metaphor used by Abse that the boy is withholding all of the important things in life from his mum, but he's also losing his youth the older he gets. He is letting go of the unimportant things in life, like a deciduous tree and becoming a mature adult, like an evergreen.

In stanza two we get the reference to 'music' and we automatically link this to the poem by Larkin Broadcast. The mum comments 'how hard it is to know' conveying the view that she doesn't know his music taste further reinforcing that the two maybe drifting apart from one another as the boy is in his teenage years. She also comments that 'dreams of some school Juliet I don't know'. This again reinforces that he's a teenage boy; he doesn't discuss his personal life with his mother. However she describes 'despite a sky half blue, a blur of white blossom'. The fact that it is 'half blue' and 'a blur' could suggest the mother's uncertain feelings towards her son. Maybe she doesn't want him to mature and grow up from her safe grasp.

The use of the word 'cool' in the last stanza comes across as very colloquial, like modern day language. The mother comments about 'my father alive again' which suggests she is thinking back to when she was her son's age. A memory of when her father was alive, them both being together. It also represents the view that her father's no longer around. We also get the symbolism of the 'white butterflies'. The white butterflies symbolises the soul of the departed ones. They could be the spirit animal of her father, so some religious imagery is conveyed to us through this poem. It's also described 'as if by elastic'. This suggests that this is a bond that will never break, even though she has lost her father this bond will never break. The poem ends with the word 'pass' conveying the view that the mother is out of her daydream and she is back to reality with her son. The mother may wish to live in a dream world where she will be with her father once again, reinforcing he was an important figure to her in her life.

We also get rhyming words in this poem. For example in stanza one 'glass and grass'. In stanza two 'know and window' and in the last stanza 'glass and pass'.

There is a link between this poem and Larkin's Broadcast poem because to the mum, she thinks that music is a key element in her son's life because it seems she doesn't really know a lot about his personal life as she says 'how hard it is to know'. Broadcast is an important part of her life, and even though the persona and the woman are separate in some ways they are together. And it's also linked to Dockery and Son because this poem is about her son and herself, whilst Larkin's is about a father and his son and how they've made the right decisions in life. Also the last stanza in this poem describes the daydream she is having, looking back at when her father was alive and thinking of how vivid the memory is and how long it was since he left her, similar to Dockery and Son because the persona realises by the last stanza how much time had gone by.

Sons - Abse

Sons is a poem by Abse and is viewed through the eyes of the persona. The persona comments on his son in this poem. This poem links in well with Larkin's Dockery and Son becuase the son in both of these poems takes the persona back into their youth, this highlights the similarities between the two poems. This poem could also link to Reference Back by Larkin through the shared love of music that reimnds the mother of her youth, much like the persona does in this poem.

Within stanza one we get the alliteration and sibilant sound of 's' through the words 'sarcastic, sons and slam', this conveys a rather harsh tone to the beginning of this poem. We also get the representation that the persona is looking back on his youth within this stanza through the quote 'I think of Cardiff outskirts where, once, captured acres played at being small tamed gardens'. It seems as if a door slamming has triggered this memory of youth so this could have some significance in the poem. The persona seems to compare himself to his son at the end of this stanza through when he comments 'Now my son is like that, altering every day'. This conveys how much the father and son are alike in their youth reinforcing that they are both very similar in their personalities. His son is also 'altering' which could suggest a change in his personality, Abse is suggesting that the son is entering his teenage years.

Within the second stanza the persona also comments 'I was like that' again comparing himself to his son. We also get the quote in this stanza 'the frontier of Nowhere'. This could be referring to his youth, that he wants to find his true self again. The persona also comments that 'being adolesecent was both prim and brash'. This is a juxtaposition of two opposites 'prim and brash', this highlights the changing emotions that you experience as a teenager through your hormones which was also highlighted earlier on in stanza one.

Like many of the Larkin poems, this poem in stanza three then has a more philosophical meaning. This is represented in stanza three through the quote 'Strange a London door should slam and I think thus, of Cardiff evenings'. We get the impression that the persona doesn't know why this memory is triggered through the slaming of the door. Uncertainty is also conveyed during the end of this stanza through when the persona comments 'Awkward Anglo-Welsh half town, half countryside'. Since it is half an half this could reinforce his uncertain nature or mindset as a person.

It seems as if the persona is empathising towards his son at the beginning of the last stanza. He comments 'Son, you are like that and I love you for it'. The persona is empathising with his son as it reminds him of himself when he was young. 'The nameless becoming' could reinforce that the persona is looking back with perspective, his warning to his son that this could happen to him too. Looking back with perspective could link to the Larkin poems Reference Back and Love Songs in Age. 'Wrongly named' could be a suggestion that he may not know his son very well yet and could reinforce the persona's uncertain mindset further. We also get the rhyme scheme in this poem and this is 3,4 and 6 line of stanzas 2,3 and 4. First stanza lines 4 and 6 rhyme. The pattern begins irregular and again this gives us a representation of his sons adolescence and changing emotions.

Return to Cardiff - Abse

Return to Cardiff is a poem by Abse that conveys how much time has passed. From within the first stanza we get the sense that Abse is conveying his memories of the past from when he was in Cardiff as a teenager. This is represented through the quote 'I cycled on to school, my first cigarette' these are the common stereotypical attributes of a teenager, reinforcing the view that Abse is in Cardiff, however reiminiscing over past memories.

However in stanza two we get the impression that Abse is unfamiliar with the setting around him. This is represented through the phrase 'mislaid identities'. This conveys this idea of how much time has moved on since Abse was in Cardiff as a child. We get a sense that through this the persona has recognised how much he has aged as a person and this is represnted through how much the setting has changed as well. This notion of change is represented through quotes such as 'the mile-wide taff now a stream, the castle not as in some black, gothic dream, but a decent sprawl, a joker's facade'. We get the sense that this setting has changed for the better. The castle for example is no longer 'black' and 'gothic' however it is now a 'decent sprawl' conveying this view that it is now a lively and bustling place for all people of society to experience. The persona seems to find this funny as it is probably where he hung around with his friends when he was younger.

Within stanza three we get the sense that some of these memories of the persona are now rather unclear. There are 'unfocused voices in the wind, associations, clues, odds and ends, fringes caught'. This are all rather abstract thoughts, which suggests that the persona's memory may be more faded and unclear now. We also get the notion of a loved one being conveyed in this memory. The description of the grandfather is 'white' and he has an 'enromous face'. This supports that the persona can remember the apperance of his grandfather very clearly suggesting that they were close. What is even more tragic is that the persona is 'suddenly aghast with certain news'. Through this we get the impression that the grandfather is now dead and that the persona has not returned to Cardiff ever since his death. The idea of shock is also conveyed in this poem, the persona is 'white' and 'aghast' suggesting that the grandfather's death may of been very unexpected and that the persona didn't take the death too well.

In stanza four we get the sense that Cardiff used to be a place that the persona used to enjoy living in. However after time has passed it has become a 'city of stranges, alien and bleak'. This also conveys this notion of how much time has passed. Abse is commenting that we recognise change once a setting is permanently changed itself, it gives us a better insight into time and change in life.

In the rest of this poem Abse reflects on the ideas of time and change and the contrasting setting between where the persona is now and the past. We also get this idea of two time periods passing over one another during the end of this poem through the quote 'where the boy I was not and the man I am not met, hesitated, left double footsteps, then walked on'. This conveys the difference between the two different settings, however it also conveys the view that the persona doesn't belong in Cardiff because he is not a man or boy in Cardiff, he is literally nobody. So the final stanzas to this poem have a more philosophical meaning.

In regards to linking with Larkin, I believe this poem links closely to the poem by Larkin Here because we are given the notion in both of these poems of a place and a home. Cardiff is Abse's hometown and Hull is Larkin's hometown, therefore they both have a sense of belonging in these two places. It also links closely with Dockery and Son through the idea of this conflict between the past and present. In Return to Cardiff Abse remembers his childhood and in Dockery and Son Larkin remembers his time at Oxford University.