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| Philip Larkin Image courtesy of www.bbc.co.uk |
Philip Larkin
1971
The Summary
"This Be the Verse" is a poem about life and growing up, growing old, and growing more like your parents every day.
The Good
Philip Larkin's poem is simultaneously outrageous and amusing. Crass, perhaps, but ultimately enjoyable and hysterically funny.
Carefully crafted into a short, lyrical form that follows a strict beat, "This Be the Verse" is quirky and ingenious and brilliantly observant. It's a short but insightful poem that speaks levels to every generation and everyone who has ever had that sudden moment of realization, when they think, "I'm just like my parents."
The Bad
While Larkin proves adept at poetical maneuverings, he does use some strong language that some people may not find suitable.
Personally, I find his language easy to overlook - amusing, in fact, and accurate in some way - but I wouldn't recommend this particular poem for a younger audience or if you find yourself offended by some very colorful language.
The Ugly
It just might be true.
In fact, one might argue that it probably is.
[Visit The Poetry Foundation for a full version of Larkin's poem.]
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