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Poet: Philip Larkin
Poem: Toads
Volume: The Less Deceived
Year: Published/Written in 1954
Poem of the Day on:
Oct 19 2004
Comment 13 of 13, added on September 29th, 2009 at 9:40 AM.
I think this poem is about being envious of the lifestyles of those people who are able to throw caution to the wind and live footloose and free. He deals with his envy by seeing their "unspeakable wives" and barefoot children as an affront to civilization. The toad that squats in him is the need for security and fear of the unknown. He recognizes in himself a slave to the rat-race, albeit enslaved by his own character. In the final sentence he says that if you have the toad work squatting on your life and the toad inside yourself needing the security, it's hard to be rid of either.
In "Toads Revisited", Larkin dismisses his dream of escaping the toads by comparing his secure and predictable life to those "dodging the toad work by being stupid or weak." Between the two poems he has changed from admiration of what he sees as courage (really just living in the moment and being carefree) to contempt for stupid, weak failures.
One interpretation of the two poems is that, in order to live with himself, in the second poem he has to squash the dream of shouting "Stuff your pension" or he would always regret not having tried.
However, I also wonder if the poems were written at different times of year. In "Toads", I can see Larkin stuck at work in the library on a beautiful summer's day, dreaming of escaping, whereas in "Toads Revisited" he mentions the lights coming on at four. I can see him writing this in winter as a rebuttal to his previous poem, sitting in his warm office at the library staring out at the cold darkness at the end of the day. Maybe even hurrying home with his collar turned up, pitying those too weak and stupid to survive the rat-race and create a home for themselves. In the summer it's easy to be envious of those who don't work but come the winter it's all worth it!
Ed Roberts from United States
Comment 12 of 13, added on July 8th, 2009 at 1:44 PM.
What does fire in a bucket represent? Is this phrase used in everyday language? If it is, what does it mean?
Sandy Lipiz from United States
Comment 11 of 13, added on May 3rd, 2009 at 2:11 AM.
Fire in the bucket may accomodate some
But it rendors my pitchfork ill-used and blunt
And whilst the toad has an obnoxious image
He's saving our souls from carnage and pillage
.....Isn't He?
angela esgate from United Kingdom
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I think this poem is about being envious of the lifestyles of those people who are able to throw caution to the wind and live footloose and free. He deals with his envy by seeing their "unspeakable wives" and barefoot children as an affront to civilization. The toad that squats in him is the need for security and fear of the unknown. He recognizes in himself a slave to the rat-race, albeit enslaved by his own character. In the final sentence he says that if you have the toad work squatting on your life and the toad inside yourself needing the security, it's hard to be rid of either.
In "Toads Revisited", Larkin dismisses his dream of escaping the toads by comparing his secure and predictable life to those "dodging the toad work by being stupid or weak." Between the two poems he has changed from admiration of what he sees as courage (really just living in the moment and being carefree) to contempt for stupid, weak failures.
One interpretation of the two poems is that, in order to live with himself, in the second poem he has to squash the dream of shouting "Stuff your pension" or he would always regret not having tried.
However, I also wonder if the poems were written at different times of year. In "Toads", I can see Larkin stuck at work in the library on a beautiful summer's day, dreaming of escaping, whereas in "Toads Revisited" he mentions the lights coming on at four. I can see him writing this in winter as a rebuttal to his previous poem, sitting in his warm office at the library staring out at the cold darkness at the end of the day. Maybe even hurrying home with his collar turned up, pitying those too weak and stupid to survive the rat-race and create a home for themselves. In the summer it's easy to be envious of those who don't work but come the winter it's all worth it!
Ed Roberts from United States