"This Be The Verse"
“This Be The Verse,” by Philip Larkin certainly fulfils some aspects of the criteria that make up “great literature”. The theme of the poem is universal in that all parents, everywhere, pass on some part of themselves to their children-- some parts good and some parts bad. I feel that this poem has withstood the test of time; written in 1971 it is about a subject that obviously impacts people from different generations (also evidenced by the mention of separate generations in the poem). This poem has been referenced again and again, and parodied in several different manors over a number of years, proving that it is widely accepted as more than just popular/current day writing. The fact that the title of the poem is a reference to another poem tells me that Larkin put more thought into his poem then it would appear at first glance, and this deeper (almost hidden) meaning leads me to look more closely at a poem that seems almost too....bouncy, to be taken seriously at first read (he wants you to look deeper or he could have just given it a generic title). Rhyming generally turns me off in poetry, it makes it seem juvenile, and unimportant; however, in “This Be the Verse,” I enjoy the rhyme scheme and the images it puts into my head. When I read the poem aloud I instantly think of little girls playing jump rope while chanting this poem, and it makes me laugh. I feel that this poem is meant to bring attention to something that is present in everyone’s life, but also to poke fun at it quietly: “Ok, we’re all fucked up, let’s get on with it.” I think the ending of the poem was meant ironically-Larkin was not trying to persuade all of his readers to go childless all their life. But perhaps just to use caution and minimize the damage done. Is “This Be The Verse,” great literature? I don’t believe I can give a definitive answer but certainly it fits into some of the aspects that make for a great poem: a universal theme, a connection to the reader, and a deeper meaning that leads you to read it more than once.
“Simple Recipes,” by Madeline Thien shares a theme with the poem “This Be The Verse,” by Philip Larkin; all parents damage their children emotionally in some way. They pass down their traits, both good and bad, and create new issues for their offspring to either deal with, or carry with them. “This Be The Verse,” states its theme rather clearly and in an a tone that can seem comedic if read a certain way, the story “Simple Recipes,” offers an example of how parents can “fuck [their children] up”, and adds more depth to the poem by looking at the same theme from a much more dramatic, even intense, point of view. The father in “Simple Recipes,” has damaged both of his children; his son by beating him, and his daughter by allowing her to see him as a violent figure, which soils her image of him-her childish, uncompromising love for him is lost and replaced by something more complicated. The narrator writes of how she would like to be able to remove the impurities in her life (as symbolized by the rice), and be happy. Her childhood has left her full of impurities, and imperfections that she would like to be rid of. The narrator then writes of watching the fish in the sink die; I believe that this symbolizes watching her childhood end, and become something complex and sometimes painful. The intense nature of this story makes me want to listen more carefully to the message in Larkin’s poem-he may have been writing comically, but the theme of the poem is a true one, and its consequences can be extremely serious.