‘At Grass’ By Philip Larkin

AT GRASS

The eye can hardly pick them out

From the cold shade they shelter in

Till wind distresses mane and tail,

Then one crops grass, and moves about

-The other seeming to look on

And stands anonymous again.

Ambiguity – 2 meanings – poem similarly has 2 readings: positive and more pessimistic at the passage of time.

Anonymity – happy in the distance/unknown? Or do they want to remain hidden/out of sight?

Use of synecdoche- Detached, lacking interest – casual observation that leads to a profound reflection on the passing of youth.

Connotations of emptiness, unhappiness?

Want to remain hidden/out of sight or gain comfort from finally being ignored – now have peace, quiet etc.

Connotations of pain, misery – they are old, fragile – even the wind causes them pain

First veiled reference to horses – keeps it vague/unspecific to create the wider reading that old age/anonymity will affect us all.

Meaninglessness of their lives now – no drive, focus, point – has +ve and –ve associations – relaxed or now empty?

Have been anonymous for a long time.

Stands- no point in moving, nothing to do – boredom or at ease?

Present tense – he is standing looking at the horses which leads to his reflection later on the poem on the universal theme of the passage of youth/glory and the entry to old age.

Yet fifteen years ago, perhaps

Two dozen distances sufficed

To fable them: faint afternoons

Of Cups and Stakes and Handicaps,

Whereby their names were artificed

To inlay faded classic Junes -

Difference in time – present past

Suggests their old age and also the length of time since their former glory – now no point/focus in life - flashback

Fame came easy – 24 races was it all it took ‘to fable them’

Past tense – now focussing on what made them famous

Use of colon to elaborate on how they became famous – lists all the competitions they took part in

Capitals – suggests important competitions they took part in – were admired/revered for their skill

Alliteration – speeds up rhythm- suggests the speed at which we are forgotten/ glory is fleeting/ lives become meaningless /passage of youth etc.

Repetition of and suggests monotony of all the races they have taken part in or enjoyment at what they have achieved/what we achieve also in life?

Grand, formal diction – reflects the grandeur of Ascot etc - ceremonial

Connotations of excitement, fame being lost – compare faded photo etc.

Faster rhythm in this verse compared to stanza 1 – suggests the difference from their former action packed past to the solitude and tranquility of their retirement. Created by listing, alliteration.

To mark them as legends

Change in rhythm suggestive of the change from observation to reflection of horses’ earlier lives.

Silks at the start: against the sky

Numbers and parasols: outside

Squadrons of empty cars, and heat

And littered grass: then the long cry

Rhythm has again increased to suggest vitality, excitement, bustle etc. of the races and by extension the horses’ careers – makes more poignant the state of the now by contrasting this and revealing to the reader what their lives used to be like.

Colours of jockeys’ clothes – vivid, colourful symbolises horses’ vitality, joy etc.

Colon – listing the excitement of the races and suggests the emptiness of the horses lives now or again the peace /contentment.

Enjambment between stanzas 3 and 4 – increases tension/suspense as the competitors are being cheered by the crowds. Again note contrast between horses’ past and present lives.

Tension/ suspense as they wait for start of race

Repetition of and – emphasises the building excitement of crowds – breathlessly describing the scene.

Hanging unhushed till it subside

To stop - press columns on the street

Suggests their importance – could bring news to a standstill – columns reserved for news come in after pages have been set for printing.

Themes: passing of time and the joy it can bring – anonymity, the passing of youth, consequences of old age etc.

Stanza 5:Change in rhythm – slower pace as Larkin again returns to the present to reflect on the horses’ current lives.

Do memories plague their ears like flies?

They shake their heads. Dusk brims the shadows.

Summer by summer all stole away,

The starting-gates, the crowds and cries

All but the unmolesting meadows.

Almanacked, their names to live; they

Rhetorical question – pauses now to reflect on wider issues of poem – passing of youth, old age etc.

Poet now focussing on horses’ present status – use of present tense.

Simile- memories seen as a pest/irritant something that bothers them? Larkin is projecting his own fears/beliefs on to horses – misses his youth/past glory?

Is this all our achievements become?

Doesn’t bother them as they have forgotten what they achieved – dulls the pain – again Larkin’s view – using them as a stimulus for his own reflections on age.

Punctuation – more full stops being used – slows down the rhythm – form suits the content – suggest slow, lazy, relaxed lives now of horses.

Connotations of lexical (word) choice: summer+ spring symbolise times of youth – here have passed (‘stole away’ – entry in to old age (as is ‘dusk’/’shadows’ – close to end of lives.

Larkin’s bitter/angry tone – feels his own youth/glory has been robbed/taken from him – no choice in the matter.

All the excitement and bustle has been taken from them – no longer able to enter comps. - +ve or –ve? Do they enjoy the solitude? Does Larkin?

Lexical choice: no longer shouted out, pushed beyond the limit – now are free to relax – not forced to race (literal+metaphorical connotations on our own lives + Larkin’s.

Names recorded in history – will never be lost – compare with Larkin’s poetry – able to leave something of his character behind – comforting.

Pessimistic? All that will remain – nothing of character/life – just names.

Have slipped their names, and stand at ease,

Or gallop for what must be joy,

And not a fieldglass sees them home,

Or curious stop-watch prophesies:

Only the groom, and groom’s boy,

With bridles in the evening come.

Connotations of freedom/escape – have ‘slipped their previous controlled lives – now content/peaceful – something Larkin wished he had: he was a profoundly reclusive/solitary figure. Envy as he reflects on privacy of horses?

No longer forced to run – free will – can stand still if wish – symbolises old age – static no longer active/busy – previous racing lives.

Larkin too hated his job - attention that came with it - saw retirement as a time of freedom.

No longer to win but just for the pure enjoyment of it – what Larkin believes our journey/progression through life should be.

Lonely/happiness to avoid all the fuss?

No longer have to perform to other people’s expectations (compete race in time they expect) – again symbolises Larkin’s own frustration at wanting to write poetry for his own pleasure where people had set expectations he felt he had to meet.

Sadness/bittersweet? Larkin’s worry of being so easily forgotten?

Alliteration – harsh sound – grim reaper? Arrival of death to collect them?

Connotations of menace/restraint?

Again symbolic of life coming to a close – day coming to an end etc.

All of these poems are lyric poems – expressing poet’s own feelings/emotions – views are therefore subjective.