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Comment 4 of 4, added on May 23rd, 2006 at 6:40 AM.
The old age represents the inner sanctum and ultimare painfulness in the breach of paraodxes in an abmigiuos metaphorical way
Josh from Ukraine
Comment 3 of 4, added on March 15th, 2006 at 5:45 AM.
The old fools realy encapsulates the fears that every one of us have surfaced at some point in our lives. The use of the phrase "the whole hideous inverted childhood" is a beautiful way of describing old age as a regression back to infancy, which shows that death is in many ways the reverse of birth. This is a rare occurance of larkin's abilties to make a very sinister subject beautiful. In the beginning of the poem Larkin uses a typical discription of our general perceptions of elderly poeples and their habbits/similarities. When youth is present the general feeling is that old age is a bad thing - "Why aren't they screaming?" - but they very last statement can be perceived in one of two of more ways. There is the usual cyical Larkin approach and "We shall find out" can seem very ominous and almost threatening: or a slighly lighter veiw that i like to take is that "We shall find out" could mean that we will find out that the "old fools" aren't screaming because it isn't grim and scary as we hang on to live; but instead we look forward to the adventure after we let go. You choose. Larkin's the old fools beautifully protrays these feelings and I applaud him *clap clap* for (in my opinion) one of his most brilliamt peices of work...
Kayleigh from United Kingdom
Comment 2 of 4, added on October 26th, 2005 at 9:19 PM.
This poem certainly touched base with my fears of ageing and death. I'm 31 years old and I've noticed that I'm getting lines around my eyes where there were no lines before. My skin looks a bit more mature then it did when I was in my 20s. I sometimes try to imagine, while standing in front of the mirror, how I'll look when I'm 60, 70, 80, and 90 if I live that long. What will I do with myself with limited mobility and how will I live my life? The things that I'm interested in now such as, shopping, dressing up to look my best, fitting in with certain social settings, and being active with my children, huband and friends. That will all change when my body no longer allows it. What will be left of my life when all that is familar to me and activities that I enjoy doing, is no longer an option in my older age? Perhaps an early death, at age 60 something, would be better than facing a deteriorating body, loss of independence and losing those who are dear to me. Those who are close to my age like my husband, my brothers, and friends. Some perfer to cheat death, but living with the disadvantages that come with old age and facing the loss of loved ones could be worse, and very lonely. For instance, many of us will be placed in nursing homes, which is not a home at all. Family and friends, are not found in a nursing home. Nor do precious memories of our more youthful, active lives exist in one. Prime timers, though they may seem frail and fragile, are in fact more courageous then what some of us give them credit for. For they deal with such disavantages everyday and wake up every morning knowing that they're one day closer to death. Those who are in their 80s know that with every step they take, takes them one step closer to death. Whats worse, is that there is no escape. We are all destined to meet with death either by old age, an unexpected illness or an accident. Ageing is a part of us all and death will defeat us in the end.
michele urb from United States
Comment 1 of 4, added on March 3rd, 2005 at 5:28 AM.
Ah the old fools sort of reminds me of me mum when shes been out on the piss.... such fond memories of me mother eh!........
Tim Entwistle from United Kingdom
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The old age represents the inner sanctum and ultimare painfulness in the breach of paraodxes in an abmigiuos metaphorical way
Josh from Ukraine