Philip Larkin (9 August 1922 – 2 December 1985 / West Midlands / England)

I wish I could say thankyouto Philip for this. I find it strangely comforting.I think he was very brave to write it.

Why do you allow a religious bigot 2 entries to bring down the vote for this magnificent work of art? His 2 scores are based on the fact that Larkin's view of death is different to his - clearly, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the quality of the work. It somewhhat undermines the value of scoring on this site.

Why do you allow a religious bigot 2 entries to bring down the vote for this magnificent work of art? His 2 scores are based on the fact that Larkin's view of death is different to his - clearly, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the quality of the work. It somewhhat undermines the value of scoring on this site.

Don Rondel blah, blah boring boring. If you can't feel the furnace-fear, you're half dead already. The mind blanks at the glare. (Please, don't take this personally.)
Can anyone teach me something about the rhyme scheme and structure of this poem? reginaofthesun@yahoo.com

to answer Philip C, this was written some 7 years before Larkin's death. The BBC Radio 4 programme David Walliams on Philip Larkin broadcast late 2010 contained a marvellous reading by Patrick Romer (contact me)

Larkin biographer Sir Andrew Motion was also in that programme

A sorry lot; those who have no faith. Surely any intelligent mind must realize this life...this universe is no mistake. I'll pray for the enlightening of those who live in darkness fearing death instead of looking forward to meeting the only one whoever came back to prove life is endless; Jesus, my Lord and Savior from evil & death.

A sorry lot; those who have no faith. Surely any intelligent mind must realize this life...this universe is no mistake. I'll pray for the enlightening of those who live in darkness fearing death instead of looking forward to meeting the only one whoever came back to prove life is endless; Jesus, my Lord and Savior from evil & death.