At Grass by Philip Larkin pg 30

2. At Grass This is a poem about the way growing old affects our lives. Philip Larkin uses ex-racehorses to show this. We begin with a peaceful scene where horses graze in a field before a much more vibrant, alive series of flashbacks which portrays the horses in their prime � as winning racehorses. I see the poem as a sad vision of old age. The horses represent people too; as we grow old we become lonelier and more �anonymous� � the glories of our past are forgotten about.

3. Subject and Themes Old age Loneliness Memories Loss of the British Empire?

9. Links to other poems� The closest match is probably �Old Man, Old Man� as both poems focus on how being in the �prime of life� brings satisfaction and old age changes things. �Warning� and �Mirror� are also suitable comparisons. If you take nature as a theme then some of the Heaney poems would work but this is a much more difficult comparison to make.

10. Hints and Tips This poem can be interpreted in two different ways. I see it as quite sad because the horses lose their fame and end up being alone and anonymous. But you could equally take the opposite view and say the horses are now truly at rest in their natural environment and are content and happy without all the fuss being made of them. Whichever view you have it would be good to mention both opinions in an exam. As long as you understand some of the more difficult words and racing terms I would suggest this is a good poem to write about in an exam.

11. Sample Questions How do you think Philip Larkin intends to portray the horses in the poem? Look again at this poem and one other poem from that deals with the passing of time. How is this theme represented in each poem?