Tiny In All That Air

I remember my heart stopping for a moment when I read Dockery and Son in my GCSE English Lit anthology in 1990s. But apart from hearing the odd quotation (mostly from “This Be The Verse” and taken out of context!) and absorbing the mood music that Larkin was sexist and racist, I’d barely thought about his poetry since. Then I happened upon this podcast and got interested in Larkin’s poetry as I haven’t been in poetry since those GCSE days, and I really thank the presenter and producers for that. I’ve found his poetic voice an unexpectedly empathetic, resonant and deeply compassionate companion to the last couple of years (and an entirely expectedly grumpy one!). The podcast is so well devised and together, looking sometimes at aspects of his life/influences etc, other times at specific poems, and the presenter really has a gift for getting great conversations out of the guests. She’s also incredibly knowledgeable on matters Larkin-related but wears it very lightly and there’s no off-putting (to me, anyway) pretentiousness about it. I genuinely look forward to this every month!

I have to admit listening to the most recent young academics podcast was rather emotional. Here in my kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner, it was great to be an eavesdropper on the wonderful ebb and flow of the conversation, the intelligent enthusiasm, and the honesty and consideration of the personal and public sides of Larkin. Partly it was hearing an observation that chimed and made you think yes, that’s so true (and the accompanying goosebumps of satisfaction), partly it was being taken back to first discovering Larkin, or being at university and being able to talk to others about poetry, about meaning and responses to literature - all of which stirred up quite a nostalgic and poignant reaction in me. “These onions have brought a tear to my eye,” I said to my wife…

I love Philip Larkin and have been a big fan of this podcast for the last year!

Really enjoyed the informal chat about Larkin’s The Building. If this is a taste of what’s to come I’ll be a regular listener.