National Poetry Day: 'This Be The Verse'

Photo from Amazon.co.uk

I've just found out, via Oh Mammy's blog, that today is National Poetry Day. 

One of my favourites is Peter Dixon's 'Oh Bring Back Higher Standards' which I blogged about last year because it reminds me of my time at a very stuffy grammar school.

Below is my chosen poem for this year. It's by no means a favourite. In fact I loathed studying Philip Larkin at school and I'm still not enamoured of him now. This poem caused quite a stir amongst us, possibly because of the language, and possibly because it rather resonated with us as a group of kids going through that teenage rebellious phase. Don't read on if you're offended by 'bad' language! 

This Be The Verse - Philip Larkin (1922 - 1980)

They fuck you up, your mum and dad. 

They may not mean to, but they do.

They fill you with the faults they had 

And add some extra, just for you. 

But they were fucked up in their turn 

By fools in old-style hats and coats, 

Who half the time were soppy-stern 

And half at one another's throats.

Man hands on misery to man. 

It deepens like a coastal shelf. 

Get out as early as you can, 

And don't have any kids yourself. 

My school days obviously had quite an impact on me as my chosen poems hark back to that era. I wonder what that says about me? Hmmm?

National Poetry Day: 'This Be The Verse'

Today is 'National Poetry Day'

When I was at University most of my friends were studying to be teachers. One of them found this poem by Peter Dixon which I found entertaining - especially as I had been a prefect in the sixth form of the rather pompous local grammar school. I'm sure quite a lot of the teachers there would have liked to 'bring back higher standards'!

'Oh Bring Back Higher Standards'

Oh bring back higher standards –
the pencil and the cane –
if we want education then we must have some pain.
Oh, bring us back all the gone days
Yes, bring back all the past . . .
let’s put them all in rows again – so we can see who’s last.

Let’s label all the good ones
(the ones like you and me)
and make them into prefects – like prefects used to be.
We’ll put them on the honours board
. . . as honours used to be,
and write their names in burnished script -
for all the world to see.
We’ll have them back in uniform,
We’ll have them doff their caps,
And learn what manners really are
. . . for decent kind of chaps!
. . . So let’s label all the good ones,
we’ll call them ‘A’s and ‘B’s-
and we’ll parcel up the useless ones,
and call them ‘C’s and ‘D’s.
. . . We’ll even have an ‘E’ lot!
. . . an ‘F’ or ‘G’ maybe!!
. . . so they can know they’re useless,
. . . and not as good as me.

For we’ve got to have the stupid –
And we’ve got to have the poor
Because-
if we don’t have them . . .
well . . . what are prefects for?

Today is 'National Poetry Day'