This gentleman is the very image I have in my mind of Tom Bombadill from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

Thank you for this, Malcolm. I read Larkin many years ago before I allowed my ‘career’ to get in the way (alongside some other passions- much to my regret) - this has inspired me to rediscover his work.

Thank you for continuing to do these brother. They are so enriching!

your commentary is a blessing Malcolm, I cant tell you how enjoyable I find your videos.

Fabulous fun Larkin around with you!

Just found these, pleaae never stop making them!

Thankful to discover your work. Reminds me a bit of Padraig O Tuama who brings poetry to life for the rest of us. Lol😢 Such beautiful language for grief. A place I'm wandering in now.

At university in Hull I read Larkin in his library, a beautiful brutalist bolette called Brynmor :)

"slim volumes of philip larkin" I need nothing more.

Really enjoyed this.Looking forward to the next episode.

Wonderful stuff thank you Malcolm

Great poetry!

So happy that you didn't follow the path of Keats and made it through your 20s to share these spells with us Malcolm!

Always find your videos are so relaxing to watch Michael. Especially after a gruelling day. Fascinating the various poets and writers you enjoy.

This is an amazing video!

Hi Malcolm, so lovely to hear your narration. The explanation of Larkin's waves upon the shore - painted pictures in my mind - in 'real-time,' as iswas Larkin's intention. I found High Windows same ways as you did, but being a decade afterward in '85. By then 'Toads' a big school curriculum kind of a poem. Today I suffer chinless guilt: in one lifetime/never evolved/beyond adoration of Larkin - member of his suburban bore audience/ the suckling 'Aubade'/ bike clips, late night drunkard, English maudlin prince. Him, and me also actually :). See you, all best

As Larkins’ transcendant qualities become more widely resonant, particularly thanks to discussions such as this, longevity will ensure this great poet takes his place among the Greats. A warm appreciative (and appreciated) presentation. Love the Jack Hargreaves style 👍.

Lovely; you have found your calling.

Wonderful poetry! Thank you for sharing Phillip Larkin with me this morning!

Thank you for these poems. I’d read about Larkin’s centennial but hadn’t yet read his work. This will prod me forward.

Always nice to smoke a pipe listening to pieces from your library sir Guite! Thanks as always, absolutely beautiful

i have only recently stumbled into Larkin’s work. so far i adore his work. my favorite so far is ‘Christmas 1940’ the lines “So much to say that I have never said // Or ever could” so gutting

Poetry is alive and well in Yorkshire today

Yes sir

Thx for Larkin.

Fantastic as ever!

The ol’ double shelved! 😊

As far as the "afresh, afresh, afresh" repetition emphasising the ending implicit in beginnings (and vice versa), I fancy the fact it's repeated *3* times is (transcendentally) significant.

Nice :) . In each OCD flair I've had over the past year (since i started to watch your videos), I've found you a genial companion :) . It's difficult to express, sometimes, how an unknown person-previously unknown, that is- can have such an effect.

Discovered Philip Larkin when reading a book by Julian Barnes HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 10 AND A HALF CHAPTERS,,,,,, the Poem mentioned was THE ARUNDLE TOMB,,,,,,, just thought I'd mention,,, I'm advocate for Shakespeare (tour guide at the SNP) into Fydor Dostevsky,,, Bob Dylan err Jorge Luis borges err yes Larkin love him 😂 thanks a lot for this well done 😂

Thanks

Diloch ywn fawr!

So beautiful

Your animated engagement with the oldies and treatment of the musicality of poetry provides much stimulating thought. I'm happy to have stumbled into your channel. Too bad most people these days won't appreciate it.

These videos are steps into poetry ,real lectures of understanding the deep meaning of metaphors ,the beauty and evocative power of words. Thank you for these beauty spells !

Hi Malcolm, as a contemporary of yours I would be very interested to know which teacher recommended Larkin. I remember doing Larkin and the Liverpool poets with two of our teachers but I can’t remember the context. Might have been some kind of sixth form general studies, but there were some teachers in to Larkin. I recall one of the teachers was a younger and more trendy guy from the Modern Languages department, and I think the other was from the English department. I recall you were always in completely different sets from me until Mr Bennett’s A level English, so I guess you missed out on the class that I remember.

I was delighted when I found Larkin too

Damned old Larkin. So close.

Our mortality and transience on this planet is a gift. Larkin and the Psalmist understood the beauty of brevity.

Wonderful. Did you go back to the teacher who suggested Larkin to you and let him know what you thought? And did Larkin inspire any changes in your writing? I think Keats would have enjoyed him as well. Thank you and so glad to have you back. Your posts are like oxygen.

My favorite poem ever is one by Larkin. This Be The Verse.

We’d all be better people with a teacher like Malcolm in our lives

Onomatopoeia ?

Thank you, and if you were in the same position today, who would today's Larkin be for you? Thanks for the videos I'm really enjoying them and finding them a great introduction to poetry. All the best.

5:15

Which tobaccos do you enjoy?

I recently made a video on Larkin! I'd be grateful if an august person such as yourself would give it a watch.

Basically, you were looking for something that was beautiful in and of itself as poetry, not something that had been decorated to be beautiful, but something that was beautifully formed in its natural structure and rhythm.

"The music, the beauty, the lucency, the cadence - all that seemed to be gone ." "... chopped up prose ..." Precisely. My feelings entirely!

First!

Nothing wrong with a good prose poem. There's a reason Bukowski has millions of adherents, while Larkin does not. As always, I've thoroughly enjoyed your video.

… “a kind of welfare state sub-poetry” …