As Bad as a Mile

This is a very short poem by Larkin which describes the feeling of throwing an apple core at the bin but missing your goal. It also obtains a stronger message which refers to innocence and how we are not aware of the harsh reality of life, and what the world is like. This is very exaggerated as the failure described in the poem is not all that big at all. The poem presents a regular rhyme scheme which mimics that of a nursery rhyme, with 'a a a' in the first stanza and 'b b b' in the second; this allows it to be read in a playful, childlike manner, emphasising the tone of innocence whilst complimenting the silliness of the activity in question and of feeling a sense of failure when missing the bin.
     The reader can empathise with Larkin as he describes 'the shied core / Striking the basket, skidding across the floor'. He presents the feeling of being so close and just missing, which creates a sense of frustration and being close to something but not getting what you want. He describes how it 'Shows less and less of luck' as it gets closer to the goal which it will eventually miss, and instead shows 'failure'. The word 'failure' creates a pessimist tone which contrasts with the playfulness of the rhyme scheme.
     The reference to apples, especially in the final line, can be linked to the story of Adam and Eve and how their lives were innocent and pure before they bit into the apple and became corrupt with knowledge and disappointment. 'Earlier and earlier, the unraised hand calm, / The apple unbitten in the palm.' - Larkin is presenting the idea that failure begins from the moment you become aware of the world and reality, just as Adam and Eve lived in paradise until they bit into the forbidden fruit. It appears that he is suggesting you can never go back to that moment when the opportunity to end your innocence is 'in the palm' of your hand; once lost, an innocent view of the world can not be retrieved.