Going

Philip Larkin 1922 (Coventry) – 1985 (Hull)



There is an evening coming in
Across the fields, one never seen before,
That lights no lamps.

Silken it seems at a distance, yet
When it is drawn up over the knees and breast
It brings no comfort.

Where has the tree gone, that locked
Earth to the sky? What is under my hands,
That I cannot feel?

What loads my hands down?
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Submitted by RobertHaigh on August 09, 2020

Modified on April 04, 2023

18 sec read
71

Quick analysis:

Scheme XXX XXX XXX X
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 312
Words 63
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 3, 3, 3, 1

Philip Larkin

Philip Larkin was born in 1922 and grew up in Coventry, England. He earned his BA from St John's College, Oxford, and finished with First Class Honours in English. In 1955 he became Librarian of the Brynmor Jones Library at the University of Hull, a post he held until his death in 1985. He was the best-loved poet of his generation, and the recipient of innumerable honours, including the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. more…

All Philip Larkin poems | Philip Larkin Books

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