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Love again: wanking at ten past three (Surely he's taken…

“Love again: wanking at ten past three (Surely he's taken her home by now?), The bedroom hot as a bakery, The drink gone dead, without showing how To meet tomorrow, and afterwards, And the usual pain, like dysentery. Someone else feeling her breasts and cunt, Someone else drowned in that lash-wide…” quote by Philip Larkin
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““Love again: wanking at ten past three (Surely he's taken her home by now?), The bedroom hot as a bakery, The drink gone dead, without showing how To meet tomorrow, and afterwards, And the usual pain, like dysentery. Someone else feeling her breasts and cunt, Someone else drowned in that lash-wide stare, And me supposed to be ignorant, Or find it funny, or not to care, Even ... but why put it into words? Isolate rather this element That spreads through other lives like a tree And sways them on in a sort of sense And say why it never worked for me. Something to do with violence A long way back, and wrong rewards, And arrogant eternity.””

Philip Larkin

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker reflects on sexual frustration, jealousy, and the lingering pain of unfulfilled desire, linking personal anguish to broader patterns of violence and existential disillusionment.

In simple terms: Sexual frustration and lingering pain are tied to deeper violence and existential disappointment.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address the roots of personal pain.

Themes

love jealousy pain violence existentialism

Mood

melancholic introspective conflicted

Type

poetic philosophical emotive

When to use this quote

  • intimate relationships
  • therapy sessions
  • self‑reflection
  • artistic expression
  • social commentary

Key Concepts

psychology human relationships trauma meaninglessness

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does personal pain reflect larger societal patterns?
  • What role does violence play in shaping intimacy?
A Different Perspective

The poem’s raw language may obscure its deeper critique of societal expectations.

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