Presented by: Stephanie Wadden

Biography Born August nd child of Sydney and Eva Larkin Attended the City’s King Henry VIII between 1930 and 1940 Went to St. John's College, Oxford when 18 Failed his army medical because of his poor eyesight Graduated in 1943 with a First Class Honours in English

Biography continued Was appointed Librarian at Wellington, Shropshire, in November of Became assistant Librarian at the University College of Leicester in Completed his professional studies and became an Associate of the Library Association in In 1950, he became Sub-Librarian at Queen's University, Belfast. Took up the position of Librarian at the University of Hull in 1955.

What will survive of us is love.

Awards/Achievements Was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1965 in 1976 was given the German Shakespeare-Pries He chaired the Booker Prize Panel in 1977, Was made Companion of Literature in 1978, Served on the Literature Panel of the Arts between 1980 and Was made an Honorary Fellow of the Library Association in In 1982 the University of Hull made him a Professor In 1984 he received an honorary D.Litt. from Oxford University, Was elected to the Board of the British Library.

Last days In 1985 Larkin was admitted to hospital with an illness in his throat. He was told an operation to remove his esophagus was needed. Philip Larkin died of cancer at 1.24 a.m. on Monday December He was 63 years old.

What I like about him Philip Larkin’s poems are deep with lots of different meanings depending on how you look at it. He likes to look at things from a third person and be an observer. Larkin tells you how it is, but makes you think about it. He was a really good poet and enjoyed writing. I like how Larkin paints a picture in your mind with what he says. The poems have no particular or repeating rhyming scheme which is cool.

My poem Everyday is the same routine, wake up, shower, get dressed Get in the car and travel to work. There is always so much traffic, especially when the sun is rising. If you take a wrong turn there is no going back. After arriving to work the minutes are counted down until the day is done. Smiling at coworkers while hating them inside. We all try to be perfect, and impress the people around us. Try and find the relationship we always dreamed of. This cannot be achieved by all that want it. Putting on a show to make it seem like we are happy, until the darkness comes.

Explanation of my poem My poem imitates Larkin by telling a story with a gloomy twist. A poem about how unfair life is. About people being fake and just doing what they are told to do. Trying to achieve what can never be achieved. Attempting to gain what will never be theirs. Larkin talks about sadness and lack of self- confidence within most of his characters. His poems are related to the shallowness of human life and the dread of other people doing less than others, yet still surviving in the same world.

Reference List Biography of Philip Larkin, Gunnar Bengtsson, Poetry Connection. Retrieved December 10, 2005 from the World Wide Web The Philip Larkin Society, Plagiarist.com All rights reserved. | 41,471,971 served. Retrieved December 9, 2005 from the World Wide Web Orwin, J. Philip Larkin, Retrieved December 10, 2005 from the World Wide Web Pridmore, J Philip Larkin ( ) Retrieved December 10, 2005 from the World Wide Web