High Windows&

MCMXIVby Philip Larkin

İrem Bezcioğlu1491182

High WindowsHigh Windows When I see a couple of kidsWhen I see a couple of kids

And guess he's fucking her and she'sAnd guess he's fucking her and she'sTaking pills or wearing a diaphragm,Taking pills or wearing a diaphragm,I know this is paradiseI know this is paradise

Everyone old has dreamed of all their lives—Everyone old has dreamed of all their lives—Bonds and gestures pushed to one sideBonds and gestures pushed to one sideLike an outdated combine harvester,Like an outdated combine harvester,And everyone young going down the long slideAnd everyone young going down the long slide

To happiness, endlessly. I wonder ifTo happiness, endlessly. I wonder ifAnyone looked at me, forty years back,Anyone looked at me, forty years back,And thought, That'll be the life;And thought, That'll be the life;No God any more, or sweating in the darkNo God any more, or sweating in the dark

About hell and that, or having to hideAbout hell and that, or having to hideWhat you think of the priest. HeWhat you think of the priest. HeAnd his lot will all go down the long slideAnd his lot will all go down the long slideLike free bloody birds. And immediatelyLike free bloody birds. And immediately

Rather than words comes the thought of high windows:Rather than words comes the thought of high windows:The sun-comprehending glass,The sun-comprehending glass,And beyond it, the deep blue air, that showsAnd beyond it, the deep blue air, that showsNothing, and is nowhere, and is endless. Nothing, and is nowhere, and is endless.

Larkin employs words that have more than one connotation.

Example: The long slide: A slide can be the familiar

playground slide which children ride for the fun of it and it is also a slipping or a regression (as in the verb backsliding). Larkin intends both meanings.

LLoss of religion: As the youth journey oss of religion: As the youth journey down the long slide there will be no “God down the long slide there will be no “God any more”, no sweating about hell. The any more”, no sweating about hell. The sky becomes endless, nowhere and sky becomes endless, nowhere and nothing. Butnothing. But t the sky at the end of the he sky at the end of the poem is described as “nowhere” (like poem is described as “nowhere” (like God, who is omnipresent), “nothing” (like God, who is omnipresent), “nothing” (like God who is not a physical being) and God who is not a physical being) and endless (again, like God). Maybe Larkin is endless (again, like God). Maybe Larkin is trying to say that no matter how far you trying to say that no matter how far you go down the slide, God is still there.go down the slide, God is still there.

LLoss of youthoss of youth:: At the start he At the start he describes the couple, as if he is describes the couple, as if he is jealous or is regretting lost days.jealous or is regretting lost days.

At the end the narrator stands At the end the narrator stands inside, looking longingly out the inside, looking longingly out the windows at the endless, boundless windows at the endless, boundless freedom of the outside. freedom of the outside.

High Windows is a poem about distances: the distance between age and youth, between high window and pavement, heaven and hell, man and God.

“MCMXIV” are the roman numerals for “1914”.

“1914” is the beginning of the First World War = The Great War = The war to end all wars = The war that would be over by Christmas

MCMXIVMCMXIV Those long uneven linesThose long uneven lines

Standing as patientlyStanding as patientlyAs if they were stretched outsideAs if they were stretched outsideThe Oval or Villa Park,The Oval or Villa Park,The crowns of hats, the sunThe crowns of hats, the sunOn moustached archaic facesOn moustached archaic facesGrinning as if it were allGrinning as if it were allAn August Bank Holiday lark;An August Bank Holiday lark;

And the shut shops, the bleachedAnd the shut shops, the bleached

Established names on the sunblinds,Established names on the sunblinds,The farthings and sovereigns,The farthings and sovereigns,And dark-clothed children at playAnd dark-clothed children at playCalled after kings and queens,Called after kings and queens,The tin advertisementsThe tin advertisementsFor cocoa and twist, and the pubsFor cocoa and twist, and the pubsWide open all day--Wide open all day--

And the countryside not caring:And the countryside not caring:The place names all hazed overThe place names all hazed overWith flowering grasses, and fieldsWith flowering grasses, and fieldsShadowing Domesday linesShadowing Domesday linesUnder wheat's restless silence;Under wheat's restless silence;The differently-dressed servantsThe differently-dressed servantsWith tiny rooms in huge houses,With tiny rooms in huge houses,The dust behind limousines;The dust behind limousines;

Never such innocence,Never such innocence,

Never before or since,Never before or since,As changed itself to pastAs changed itself to pastWithout a word--the menWithout a word--the menLeaving the gardens tidy,Leaving the gardens tidy,The thousands of marriages,The thousands of marriages,Lasting a little while longer:Lasting a little while longer:Never such innocence again.Never such innocence again.

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