This Be The Verse

E510490

"This Be The Verse" is a famously bleak and darkly comic poem by Philip Larkin that explores the emotional damage passed down through generations within families.

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This Be The Verse canonical 1

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf literary work
poem
author Philip Larkin NERFINISHED
conclusionMessage advises people not to have children
countryOfOrigin United Kingdom
culturalStatus one of Philip Larkin's most famous poems
firstLine They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
form lyric poem
frequentlyAnthologized true
genre dark comedy
poetry
satire
hasCriticalReception controversial for its language and message
widely discussed by literary critics
hasLegacy frequently referenced in popular culture
often quoted in discussions of parenting
hasPerspective first-person plural and impersonal commentary
hasRegister colloquial
includedIn collections of Philip Larkin's poems
influencedField popular discourse on dysfunctional families
language English
lineCount 12
literaryMovement postwar British poetry
meter regular meter with strong iambic elements
nationalLiterature British literature
notableFor bleak view of parenthood
cultural impact in discussions of family and psychology
dark humor
use of taboo language in opening line
poet Philip Larkin NERFINISHED
publicationDecade 1970s
rhymeScheme abab
setting modern Western society
stanzaCount 3
subjectMatter cycle of misery across generations
parents harming children emotionally
targetAudience adult readers
theme emotional damage
family relationships
inheritance of flaws
intergenerational trauma
pessimism
tone bleak
darkly comic
usesDevice enjambment
hyperbole
irony

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Philip Larkin signatureWork This Be The Verse