Uploaded February 2013 | Updated September 2026, 29 minutes ago
Toads - A poem by Philip Larkin.
About the poem - In Western tradition, the toad has long been seen as an unwelcome presence that can bring harm to people. It has been associated with witchcraft, wizard's familiars, Satan's disguise etc. He describes two toads. One is the exterior influence that society has on an individual to work, and the other is the interior or personal persuasion to work.
About the poet -- Philip Arthur Larkin, (9 August 1922 -- 2 December 1985) was an English poet and novelist. After graduating from Oxford in 1943 with a first in English language and literature, Larkin became a librarian. Influenced by W. H. Auden, W. B. Yeats, and Thomas Hardy, his poems are highly structured but flexible verse forms. His work was described by Jean Hartley as a 'Piquant mixture of lyricism and discontent'. Andrew Motion calls his poems 'A very English, glum accuracy about emotions, places, and relationships'. Eric Homberger called him 'The saddest heart in the post-war supermarket'. Larkin himself said that 'deprivation for him was what daffodils were for Wordsworth'. For more videos log onto youtube.com/pearlsofwisdom Also find us on Facebook at facebook.com/pearlsofwisdomchannel Subscribe & Stay Tuned - youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=pearlsofwisdom
Toads - A poem by Philip Larkin.
About the poem - In Western tradition, the toad has long been seen as an unwelcome presence that can bring harm to people. It has been associated with witchcraft, wizard's familiars, Satan's disguise etc. He describes two toads. One is the exterior influence that society has on an individual to work, and the other is the interior or personal persuasion to work.
About the poet -- Philip Arthur Larkin, (9 August 1922 -- 2 December 1985) was an English poet and novelist. After graduating from Oxford in 1943 with a first in English language and literature, Larkin became a librarian. Influenced by W. H. Auden, W. B. Yeats, and Thomas Hardy, his poems are highly structured but flexible verse forms. His work was described by Jean Hartley as a 'Piquant mixture of lyricism and discontent'. Andrew Motion calls his poems 'A very English, glum accuracy about emotions, places, and relationships'. Eric Homberger called him 'The saddest heart in the post-war supermarket'. Larkin himself said that 'deprivation for him was what daffodils were for Wordsworth'. For more videos log onto youtube.com/pearlsofwisdom Also find us on Facebook at facebook.com/pearlsofwisdomchannel Subscribe & Stay Tuned - youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=pearlsofwisdom
