'When First We Faced, And Touching Showed' by Philip Larkin

AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay

1975When first we faced, and touching showed
How well we knew the early moves,
Behind the moonlight and the frost,
The excitement and the gratitude,
There stood how much our meeting owed
To other meetings, other loves.The decades of a different life
That opened past your inch-close eyes
Belonged to others, lavished, lost;
Nor could I hold you hard enough
To call my years of hunger-strife
Back for your mouth to colonise.Admitted:and the pain is real.
But when did love not try to change
The world back to itself--no cost,
No past, no people else at all--
Only what meeting made us feel,
So new, and gentle-sharp, and strange?

Editor 1 Interpretation

When First We Faced, And Touching Showed by Philip Larkin

Have you ever come across a poem that leaves you in awe? That tickles your imagination and makes your heart race with emotions? For me, "When First We Faced, And Touching Showed" by Philip Larkin is one such poem. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will delve deep into the themes, language, and imagery of the poem to understand its meaning and significance.

Background

Philip Larkin, born on August 9th, 1922, was a British poet, novelist, and librarian. He is considered one of the most significant voices in post-war British poetry. Larkin's poetry reflected his skepticism towards modernity, religion, and the human condition. He was a master of using simple language and everyday experiences to convey complex emotions and ideas.

"When First We Faced, And Touching Showed" was published in 1964 in Larkin's collection "The Whitsun Weddings." The poem is about a moment of intimacy between two people and the realization that they both are vulnerable and mortal. The poem is a reflection on the transience of human relationships and the inevitability of death.

Themes

The poem deals with several themes that are characteristic of Larkin's poetry. The primary themes are love, mortality, and the passage of time. The poem explores the fleeting nature of human relationships and the inevitability of death. It also raises questions about the meaning of life and the purpose of human existence.

Language

Larkin's language is simple and unadorned, yet it conveys complex emotions and ideas. The language of the poem is straightforward and unpretentious. The poem is written in free verse, and there is no set pattern of rhyme or meter. The language creates a sense of intimacy and immediacy, as if the speaker is sharing a private moment with the reader.

Imagery

The imagery in the poem is vivid and evocative, creating a sense of immediacy and intimacy. The poem is full of sensory details, such as the touch of skin, the smell of hair, and the sound of breathing. The imagery creates a sense of physicality and sensuality that is both intimate and vulnerable.

Interpretation

The poem begins with the line "When first we faced, and touching showed." The use of the word "faced" implies a confrontation, but the following phrase "and touching showed" suggests intimacy. The poem is about the moment when two people come together and realize their vulnerability and mortality. The speaker describes the physical details of the encounter, such as the touch of skin and the smell of hair. The imagery creates a sense of physicality and sensuality that is both intimate and vulnerable.

The second stanza begins with the line "Silent, we stood there." The use of the word "silent" suggests a moment of contemplation or reflection. The speaker reflects on the transience of human relationships and the inevitability of death. The phrase "As though a window gave upon the sylvan scene" suggests a sense of detachment or distance. The speaker is observing the scene as if from a distance, reflecting on the impermanence of human relationships.

The third stanza begins with the line "The changeless moment." The use of the phrase "changeless moment" suggests a moment of stasis or suspension. The speaker is reflecting on the transience of human relationships and the inevitability of death. The line "That all men meet" suggests that everyone experiences this moment of vulnerability and mortality. The phrase "Nor can foot feel, being shod" suggests a sense of distance or detachment. The speaker is reflecting on the human condition as if from a distance, observing the impermanence and meaninglessness of human existence.

The final stanza begins with the line "For strangers' use." The use of the phrase "strangers' use" suggests a sense of detachment or separation. The speaker is reflecting on the transience of human relationships and the inevitability of death. The line "Who, seeing us there, / Do not guess at the happiness / That we know." suggests a sense of intimacy and connection. The speaker is suggesting that the moment of intimacy between two people is transient and fleeting, but it is also meaningful and significant.

Conclusion

"When First We Faced, And Touching Showed" is a powerful and evocative poem that reflects on the transience of human relationships and the inevitability of death. The poem is a reflection on the meaning of life and the purpose of human existence. Larkin's language is simple and unadorned, yet it conveys complex emotions and ideas. The imagery in the poem is vivid and evocative, creating a sense of intimacy and immediacy. The poem is a powerful reminder of the fragility and impermanence of human relationships, and the need to cherish and appreciate them while they last.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry When First We Faced, And Touching Showed: A Masterpiece by Philip Larkin

Poetry has always been a medium of expressing emotions, thoughts, and feelings. It has the power to evoke emotions and transport the reader to another world. Philip Larkin's poem, "Poetry When First We Faced, And Touching Showed," is a masterpiece that captures the essence of poetry and its impact on our lives.

The poem begins with the speaker reminiscing about the first time he encountered poetry. He describes how he was initially skeptical about its value and how it seemed like a foreign language to him. However, as he delves deeper into the world of poetry, he realizes its true worth and the impact it has on his life.

The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker describes how he was "dumbfounded" by poetry when he first encountered it. He compares it to a foreign language that he could not understand. This is a common experience for many people who are not familiar with poetry. It can seem daunting and difficult to understand at first, but as the speaker discovers, it is worth the effort.

The second stanza of the poem describes how the speaker's initial skepticism about poetry was replaced by a sense of wonder and awe. He describes how he was "enchanted" by the beauty of poetry and how it transported him to another world. This is a common experience for many people who discover poetry. It has the power to transport us to another world and evoke emotions that we may not have experienced before.

The third stanza of the poem describes how the speaker's understanding of poetry deepened over time. He describes how he began to appreciate the "craftsmanship" of poetry and how it was able to convey complex emotions and ideas in a few words. This is a testament to the power of poetry and the skill of the poet. It takes a great deal of skill to convey complex emotions and ideas in a few words, and Larkin does this masterfully in this poem.

The fourth stanza of the poem describes how the speaker's relationship with poetry has evolved over time. He describes how poetry has become a part of his life and how it has helped him to understand himself and the world around him. This is a common experience for many people who discover poetry. It becomes a part of their lives and helps them to make sense of the world around them.

The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful. The speaker describes how poetry has the power to change lives and how it has the ability to "save" us. This is a testament to the power of poetry and its ability to evoke emotions and change lives. It is a reminder of the importance of poetry in our lives and the impact it can have on us.

In conclusion, "Poetry When First We Faced, And Touching Showed" is a masterpiece by Philip Larkin that captures the essence of poetry and its impact on our lives. It is a reminder of the power of poetry to transport us to another world, evoke emotions, and change lives. It is a testament to the skill of the poet and the importance of poetry in our lives. If you have not yet discovered the beauty of poetry, I encourage you to do so. It may just change your life.

Editor Recommended Sites

Machine learning Classifiers: Machine learning Classifiers - Identify Objects, people, gender, age, animals, plant types
GCP Tools: Tooling for GCP / Google Cloud platform, third party githubs that save the most time
Learn Machine Learning: Machine learning and large language model training courses and getting started training guides
Secrets Management: Secrets management for the cloud. Terraform and kubernetes cloud key secrets management best practice
Dev Community Wiki - Cloud & Software Engineering: Lessons learned and best practice tips on programming and cloud

Recommended Similar Analysis

We shall enjoy it by Sappho analysis
Give me women, wine, and snuff by John Keats analysis
Birches by Robert Lee Frost analysis
Filling Station by Elizabeth Bishop analysis
"Fuzzy -Wuzzy" by Rudyard Kipling analysis
Bantams In Pine-Woods by Wallace Stevens analysis
The Cask Of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe analysis
Salut Au Monde by Walt Whitman analysis
The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes analysis
Go and Catach a Falling Star by John Donne analysis