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Poet: Philip Larkin
Poem: Love Songs In Age
Volume: The Whitsun Weddings
Year: Published/Written in 1957
Comment 5 of 5, added on June 14th, 2009 at 9:11 AM.
I do not knnow what happened but I only posted half of what I wanted to say about this poem.
Very evocative poem.
I conjured an image of an elderly, or certainly older woman, who, out of loneliness sits among the mementoes of her youth. Most particularly amongst these is a collection of sheet music, the kind popular in the thirties and forties.
This sheet music was obviously something which was important to her when she wore a younger woman's clothes. It was well used and well loved, or else why should she keep it for so many years with such care?
It seems to me that the lyrics of the songs in question had at one time ignited dreams in this woman which, sadly, never materialised. She may well have been a romantic young woman who was sure that when love came to her she would find bliss and everlasting joy
I think that the reference to widowhood indicates some kind of disatisfaction with her marriage in respect of realising these dreams.-’ without lamely admitting how
It had not done so then, and could not now’.
Larkin’s subtle rhyme scheme adds to the illusion of order of living among the chaos of emotion. It blends with the rythmn of the writing. The whole becomes a flow- of words and emotions- almost like a song in itself.
Rose from United Kingdom
Comment 4 of 5, added on June 14th, 2009 at 8:46 AM.
without lamely admitting how
It had not done so then, and could not now.
Larkin’s subtle rhyme scheme adds to the illusion of order of living among the chaos of emotion. It blends with the rythmn of the writing. The whole becomes a flow- of words and emotions- almost like a song in itself.
I enjoyed reading this very much. I found, which I often do not find with Larkin, that this was very easy to become absorbed in this poem.
Rose from United Kingdom
Comment 3 of 5, added on May 18th, 2009 at 4:55 AM.
On the one hand, "word after hyphenated word" and "each frank submissive chord" make me thing that the poem is about music which the persona sang/played/read herself.
On the other hand "mended" seems to be suggesting they're records.
"Playing" and "coloured in" are ambiguous.. who knows!
Rob from United Kingdom
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I do not knnow what happened but I only posted half of what I wanted to say about this poem.
Very evocative poem.
I conjured an image of an elderly, or certainly older woman, who, out of loneliness sits among the mementoes of her youth. Most particularly amongst these is a collection of sheet music, the kind popular in the thirties and forties.
This sheet music was obviously something which was important to her when she wore a younger woman's clothes. It was well used and well loved, or else why should she keep it for so many years with such care?
It seems to me that the lyrics of the songs in question had at one time ignited dreams in this woman which, sadly, never materialised. She may well have been a romantic young woman who was sure that when love came to her she would find bliss and everlasting joy
I think that the reference to widowhood indicates some kind of disatisfaction with her marriage in respect of realising these dreams.-’ without lamely admitting how
It had not done so then, and could not now’.
Larkin’s subtle rhyme scheme adds to the illusion of order of living among the chaos of emotion. It blends with the rythmn of the writing. The whole becomes a flow- of words and emotions- almost like a song in itself.
Rose from United Kingdom