Coming

Philip Larkin
On longer evenings,
Light, chill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses.
A thrush sings,
Laurel-surrounded
In the deep bare garden,
Its fresh-peeled voice
Astonishing the brickwork.
It will be spring soon,
It will be spring soon—
And I, whose childhood
Is a forgotten boredom,
Feel like a child
Who comes on a scene
Of adult reconciling,
And can understand nothing
But the unusual laughter,
And starts to be happy.

Themes: Larkin explores the sense of optimism that spring may bring after a long, cold winter—symbolically
suggesting the cyclical nature of human life and its potential for renewed hope even after long periods of darkness.

1: Larkin uses vivid imagery of the effect of spring to portray it as a joyful event, invoking a sense of anticipation
of the coming spring in the reader

2: Larkin personifies spring as a force which brings life, depicting his hopeful anticipation of spring

3: Larkin vividly depicts spring as a force that allows him to reconcile with past memories, and makes him happy

Philip Larkin was a poet whose childhood was uneventful. However, the arrival of spring makes him feel the
virtuous joy and excitement of youth.
● The phrase ‘deep bare garden’ paints a picture of a lifeless garden showing no signs of spring, or new life,
possibly representing what the speakers life has become
● However, this unadulterated happiness reminds the speaker that no matter how old he is, it is okay to
hold tight onto the delight life offers, anticipation of this happiness

Quote Significance

Short lines No rhymes of stanzas; free verse


Title: “Coming”
“On longer evenings, // Light, chill
and yellow”
“Bathes the serene // Foreheads of
houses”
‘A thrush sings, // Laurel-
surrounded, // In the deep bare
garden,’
“Its fresh-peeled voice”
“Astonishing the brickwork”
● Conveys the impatience of an adult with a short attention span, a
fast paced life where work never finishes
Immediately sets a tone of anticipation
● Reader instinctively wonders what the author is going to describe
for the rest of the poem
● Hooks the reader in
● These adjectives used to describe the sunset have positive
connotations, making the image seem welcoming and peaceful
○ Its beauty and serenity reflects the splendour of spring
● Consonance of the letter ‘l’ has a soothing effect and suggests
lightness
Personification of sunlight as houses languish in the light
● Diction: “bathes” has a soothing, relaxing feel
● Imagery of liquid light bathing the concrete
● Dreamy, ethereal atmosphere
● Paired with the soft, lilting sounds in line 2: pleasant picture of the
houses’ harmony with nature.
Personification of the house gives life to the lifeless
● Parallel to the effects of spring, thus further intensifying the power
of renewal in spring.
● "Foreheads" of the houses // depicting them as people who are
calm and subdued
Despite being hidden in a laurel bush, the thrush’s singing emerges;
melodious and pure
● Barren garden juxtaposed next to the thrush and the soothing
setting in lines 1-4
● Sign of hope and life
Connotations of pure, unadulterated, reverberating, and echoing lilting
birdsong
Fragility of the free and fresh thrush vs the concrete solid of brick
● Despite its delicateness, it has the power to move the people inside
brick-and-mortar structures
 ● Personification of impressed brickwork highlights the juxtaposition
of the two settings
○ Shows the positive impact of spring and how it’s able to
evoke such strong emotions

‘And I...And can...And starts’ The anaphora creates repetition that emphasises the feeling of childhood
excitement
● Provides a pleasing rhythm, reinforces the pleasant analogy

“It will be spring soon, // It will be Repetition // elated, excited children full of hope, anticipation, and giddy joy
spring soon --” ● Sounds like a mantra, as if chanting it more and more will make
Spring come faster

“And I, whose childhood // Is a ● He brings up his unremarkable childhood in an effort to create an

forgotten boredom” impactful contrast when describing his following emotions

● Speaker emerges and enters scene

“Feel like a child // Who comes on a Like a child who can’t understand the complexities of adult lives but
scene // Of adult reconciling” experiences joy when he witnesses the end of adult squabbles and conflict
→ promise of harmony and agreement

Diction “reconciling”: he’s trying to reconcile the child within him with his
adult self, prompted by the first signs of spring
● He’s so jaded and tired by work and adult worries and demands
that he’s forgotten what it’s like to be a child

“Unusual laughter // And starts to The arrival of spring reminds him of what it means to be a child, his
be happy” pessimism dissipated as he finally embraces his true spirit as a child

How does Philip Larkin use language, diction, and other poetic devices to create such a convincing atmosphere of
joyful anticipation?