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Comment 4 of 14, added on August 13th, 2005 at 9:11 PM.
While I, too, have had similar fears to the ones expressed by Larkin in this poem, I am fortunate enough to believe that there is life after death. It may not be completely rational and it is not a sure thing, but to be so certain that there is nothing beyond this life?! That I can't understand. Did Larkin think that he was capable of grasping the totality of the universe to such an extent that he was certain that this is it? I think that's arrogant. At the very least, be agnostic and admit that you don't know. There are more things on Heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Philip.
Paul from United States
Comment 3 of 14, added on March 14th, 2005 at 7:30 PM.
With every dawn we are one day closer to death. And it amazes me how I continue to survive.
Where I live, the sound of the Muazen calling for morning prayers reminds me of that. A time of reflection...if you can.
But I prefer the stillness of the night.
Larkin was my librarian, Amis my author; neither is here now. How am I supposed to think? Or write?
So I choose to love
F Shalan from Jordan
Comment 2 of 14, added on December 17th, 2004 at 8:53 AM.
Larkin suffered from ‘death dread’, a disabling, obsessive fear, not just of dying but of being dead, of oblivion, and the inevitability of that. I too suffer from death dread due, I think, to having been told too young, and on the death of my beloved grandfather, that death was ‘as if you’ve never been born’. The only comfort for sufferers is to name the condition and to know others who have been there, especially in the night as Larking describes, so this poem is enormously helpful to us. Chris Marsh
Chris Marsh from United Kingdom
Comment 1 of 14, added on December 1st, 2004 at 2:13 AM.
The narrator here wakes up early and thinks somberly about death and his belief that there is nothing beyond it. Yet, he finds himself still worried and unable to take comfort in his own reason while outside his bedroom, the world moves on, uncaring. The title refers to a poem announcing the dawn which is ironic in that it would normally be more cheerful, but it may also refer to his dawning realization of his insignificance to the world around him.
Ed from United States
This poem has been commented on more than 10 times. Click below to see the other comments.
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While I, too, have had similar fears to the ones expressed by Larkin in this poem, I am fortunate enough to believe that there is life after death. It may not be completely rational and it is not a sure thing, but to be so certain that there is nothing beyond this life?! That I can't understand. Did Larkin think that he was capable of grasping the totality of the universe to such an extent that he was certain that this is it? I think that's arrogant. At the very least, be agnostic and admit that you don't know. There are more things on Heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Philip.
Paul from United States