Philip Larkin's 'At Grass' delves into the lives of retired racehorses, contrasting their past glory with present obscurity. The poem examines the fleeting nature of fame, the peacefulness of retirement, and the contemplation of mortality. Larkin's use of enjambment, metaphor, and natural imagery enriches the narrative, offering a meditative look at aging and the cycle of life.
Show More
The poem explores the inevitability of aging and its effects on individuals
The poem reflects on the longing for the past and the memories that fade with time
The poem contemplates the fleeting nature of fame and its eventual decline
The poem follows a structured form of five quatrains with an ABCB rhyme scheme
Enjambment
The use of enjambment creates a sense of fluidity and momentum, reminiscent of the horses' racing history
Personification
The horses are given human-like characteristics, highlighting the contrast between human and animal perceptions of life and death
Natural Imagery
The use of natural imagery, such as the approaching dusk, serves as a metaphor for the horses' final phase of life
The horses' loss of identity and fame is reflected in their initial ambiguity in the poem
The poem contrasts the horses' once vibrant racing careers with their current peaceful retirement
The horses are portrayed as living in the present, unburdened by nostalgia or a consciousness of mortality
The poem's elegiac tone reflects its contemplation on the end of life and the horses' impending deaths
The natural imagery in the poem serves as a metaphor for the horses' final phase of life and the inevitability of death
00
'At Grass' was first released in 1950 as part of the collection 'XX ______,' featuring a structured form of five ______ with an ABCB rhyme scheme.
Poems
quatrains
01
Significance of 'they' in 'At Grass'
Creates mystery, obscures horses' identity, emphasizing their anonymity post-retirement.
02
Contrast in horses' identity 'At Grass'
Juxtaposes past fame with current obscurity, highlighting the transient nature of identity and celebrity.
