1. Born Yesterday
1954

2. Larkin admired Yeats’ who wrote: ‘A poem for my daughter’
May she be granted beauty and yet not Beauty to make a stranger's eye distraught, Or hers before a looking-glass, for such, Being made beautiful overmuch, Consider beauty a sufficient end, Lose natural kindness and maybe The heart-revealing intimacy That chooses right, and never find a friend

3. Themes and ideas
Written for his friend’s daughter at birth – his wishes for her. He rejects conventional wishes such as beauty, love and innocence and wishes instead her to be ordinary or even ‘dull’.
Surprisingly adult address of child – refusal to condescend or mislead. Desire to be honest, realistic and frank.
Larkin is known for his straightforward language, world weary and sceptical attitude to life.
Cynical attitude of speaker ‘ And should it prove possible, / Well, you’re a lucky girl.’ His tone in stanza one is mocking of society’s ideals
Yet it is still a tender and sincere poem

4. Form and structure
First person speaker who adopts a conversational tone – rejection of hyperbolic and poetic language
Direct address personalises his wishes ‘I have wished you’
Two stanzas; the first addresses conventional hopes and dreams, the second: his connective ‘but’ preference for her to be ‘ordinary’ but happy

5. Rhyme
Free verse – rejects rhyme scheme ( symbolic of tradition and convention)
Rhyme only at start and end of the poem
‘bud/would:’ gives his opening challenge a sense of drama and authority. Tension is created.
‘skilled /enthralled/called’ : the consonance –ed’ adds speed to the list of desired qualities required in the ‘catching of happiness’ as the speaker leaves cynicism and end- stopping behind and concludes with excitement and freedom at the thought of his god daughter’s future.

6. Rhythm
Irregular meter – although lines are consistently brief, there are loosely six syllables in each line giving the poem an understated, clipped feel
The final line is the longest – as he excitedly announces the prize you can win by being ‘dull’ if that is what ‘ a catching of happiness is called’
Use of the dash to create a caesura

7. Imagery and sound effects
Tightly-folded bud - the nature imagery suggests the potential of the child/ mysterious future / full of promise
‘Spring of innocence and love’ – A spring is a natural water source and suggests childhood is blessed by constant love and pure innocence. His satirical tone suggests this view is idealised.

8. Language
Colloquial ‘not the usual stuff’ – rejects poetic language. Makes it sincere
‘dull’ – the central wish that the poet thinks can lead to happiness. If you are dull, your character is not vivid or intense. Could it be that by being less idiosyncratic, concerned by being distinctive or successful, you can can be more open and flexible to identifying and enjoying happiness? average’
Semantic field of mediocrity ‘ordinary’ ‘average‘ where personality is negated ‘no ugly’ ‘not good-looking’

9. Links
Creation of a resentful and challenging first person speaker – Sister Maude
Contrast to idealised love in Sonnet 116
Link to Nettles – attitude of a parent
Use of a structure to present an argument – Coy Mistress/ Sonnet 116 / Sister Maude