Summary and composition

In what follows, we will focus on the summary and composition of “This Be the Verse” by Phillip Larkin. 

Summary

The poem is an appeal made by a speaker to his readers, discussing the negative influences parents have on children. The speaker argues parents mess up their children by projecting their mistakes on them and adding extra faults as well. However, this is a vicious circle, because parents have also been influenced by their parents in their time; by the quarrels between them and the indifference, they showed towards their children. The speaker further advises readers to exit this vicious circle and not have children of their own.

Composition

After reading a poem, you should start analysing it by looking at the way the text presents itself regarding form and graphical expression a...