Philip Larkin - 'The Whitsun Weddings' (1964) 

As a member of the Philip Larkin Society, I travelled from Australia to London's Kings Cross Station to witness the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the publication's 50th anniversary in June. The speeches were drowned out by station announcements, one of which drew a rousing cheer from our small crowd: the train to Hull.

Larkin's technical mastery is so undervalued, there's nothing ordinary and commonplace about it. One of the top five poems of the 20th century, without a doubt.

Many thanks, Roger Scruton admired this poem, so I came for a listen, what a treat to have the author read it out loud. Greetings and gratitude from downunder Australia

This is incredible. I've just realised the importance of using a train carriage. In the penultimate stanza, the couples are seen to watch the landscape, but of course in a carriage they would be looking sideways, at what is passing them by rather than what lies ahead. The persona instead sees where they were "aimed." He believes he has used foresight in avoiding marriage.

I always loved this poem since school he is without doubt my favourite poet!

...like an arrow-shower sent out of sight, somewhere becoming rain

Thank you, I enjoyed it. His voice just right to set the mood.

love this poem, and just happened to stumble upon it here. thanks for sharing

Extraordinary poem. I used to wonder why Larkin made the second line of each stanza two stresses only, (‘not till about’, ‘for miles inland’, ‘the weddings made’, etc), when all the other lines have five. Then it dawned on me, they are just like the sound of a train as it passes over the joins between the rails. Whether Larkin intended this I don’t know. But to me they do sound just like a train. Especially ‘not till about’.

Love that first verse, I've done that train journey out of Hull so many times.

Thank you so much for this: I listen A LOT to my Alan Bennett reading, but this is better. Brilliant. Wonderful.

I always play this to put the kids to sleep nice amd early. Great vid! :)

Thank you so much for posting this in the poet's own words.

Concentrated ... and rich.

A masterful display of form and metre.

vivid and real!

Coronation Street brought me here.