The Game

This poem compares the game of football to the Faust Legend. The Faust Legend obtains the concept that knowledge comes with a terrible price; a man wished to know everything, and so made a pact with the Devil that one of his demons (Mephistopheles) would be his servant for twenty-four years and give him all his knowledge. After this twenty-four years, the man was taken to hell by the Devil and stayed there for eternity. This links to the poem as 'The Game' follows a theme of corruption. Religion, sport and the passing of time are other themes which the poem follows.
     Throughout 'The Game', Abse presents his home team (Cardiff City) as the side of God; he does this by using angelic phrases to describe them, such as 'cherubs'. He presents the opposing team as the side of the Devil by making references to the Devil himself and 'Mephistopheles'. The first two stanzas give an impression of the scene; an strong image of the stadium is created with its' 'goal posts' and 'brassy band' where 'a hundred matches spark.' The second stanza holds a reminiscent tone as the persona 'recall[s] records' and 'the old songs'. Abse also makes references to 'Fred Keener' and 'Hardy', both legendary players for Cardiff City. He gives the crowd animalistic features; he describes it as an 'injured beast' which 'roars', giving the reader an impression of its' incredible mass and portraying the violence which can occur over football games. These phrases depict the savageness of football, and how the fans turn almost into animals with their pride; an image is created of their immediate urgency to see their team obtain victory.
     The third stanza sees the game begin, and religion is used to describe much of it. He describes himself and the other fans as 'cheer[ing] the Good' and 'hiss[ing] at passing Evil.' The players are described animalisticly in a similar way to the crowd; Abse tells of how they 'howl for blood'. By using this phrase he presents the game as a matter of life and death, portraying how important football is to many people and how victory becomes a vitality, not just something trivial. There is a reference to corruption at the end of this stanza; 'Demons have agents: the Referee is bribed.'
     Half-time is signaled in the fourth stanza with an impressive save from the opposing goal-keeper; 'Satan rose / higher than the others in the smoked brown gloom'. This phrase uses strong imagery of the setting with Abse creating a formidable tone through the word 'gloom'. He applies yet another reference to religion, and it could be argued that Abse is comparing sport and faith to suggest that humankind worships 'The Game' in the same way that others may worship a God - it appears to be a significant part of his life.
     Nostalgia creeps in to the fifth stanza, and Abse describes 'Memor[ies]of faded games' as he and the crowd reminisce. '...the band played the same military airs / as when the Bluebirds once were champions', and this suggests that although many things change with the passing of time, the past is still remembered and filters in to the present; things that have become memories, such as past football victories are not forgotten, and this again shows the importance of sport and how it is a significant part of many peoples' lives.
      In the sixth stanza the game recommences. The caesura used in the final line suggests urgency as if the game is hitting its' peak and every move counts: 'Heads up!' Reference is made to 'Ted Drake' and 'Dixie Dean', both rivals Southampton, Arsenal and Everton. The 'forwards scheme' mentioned is the area of the pitch where strikers and forwards play (near the goal). The Faust Legend is referenced again in the seventh stanza, and it could be argued that Abse is comparing 'Faust [that] must pay that fee' to the fans that have become too arrogant of victory, too sure in their knowledge that the Bluebirds would win the game.
     The final stanza produces a strong image of the 'Silent...stadium' where 'Only the pigeons beneath the roofs remain.' There is a sense of loss and sadness, and a disappointed realisation of the outcome of 'The Game'. Abse uses pathetic fallacy to depict this: 'natural the dark, appropriate the rain'. He describes the newsboys as 'threatening', suggesting hurt pride and a sense of embarrassment at the thought of the rest of the world knowing his team lost. This could also be a reference to the gaining of knowledge, linking to Faust; sometimes it is best for certain areas of knowledge to remain unobtainable, as they come at a price (in this case, humiliation).
     The structure of this poem is nine stanzas long and has an iambic pentameter, with an 'ab' rhyme scheme - this regularity contrasts with the uncertainty of a football game.

Return to Cardiff

'Return to Cardiff' is about Abse returning to his hometown when he is grown up. The poem explores the journey from childhood to adulthood and the significance of time; how it changes a person's perspective and creates memories which fade into the past. The tone of the poem is sad and slightly depressing - Larkin looks back upon his up-bringing in Cardiff as being almost false, his childhood-self unaware of the reality of his future and what time was to bring.

     Abse describes Cardiff, his hometown, as holding his 'First everything'; he experienced his 'first / cigarette' and 'first botched love affair' within the walls of the city. It appears that Cardiff holds the majority of Abse's milestone memories - the firsts that he describes are important factors of childhood, possibly regretful learning curves. Abse's use of short sentencing and a caesura makes the sentence 'First everything.' seem dramatic and significant, echoing the importance that these childhood memories hold for him - they are sentimental. He also describes 'Faded torments' suggesting that he was bullied at points within his youth, the word 'Faded' holding connotations of scars - the isolation which he 'indulg[ed]' in effected him in such a way that, although now fragments of his past, he still remembers the events.

     The first line of the second stanza holds a slightly mocking tone: 'less a return than a raid'. It appears that Abse is poking fun at his immaturity and anticipation for the future when he was a child, suggesting that his opinions and views have altered with the passing of time, and he has become more knowledgeable about the reality of life. 'Of course the whole locus smaller' - Abse could be making reference to how a child sees everything as big, new and exciting, and with age comes the sad realisation that things are not as we 'dream' them to be, but instead appear as 'toy facade[s]'. This suggestion that maturity brings on a bleak view of reality is also presented in Larkin's poem 'Home Is So Sad', which also looks back upon the past as a happier time.

     The third stanza opens with an image of 'Unfocused voices in the wind, associations, clues, odds and ends...' This adds a slight confusion to the tone of the poem; it is as if Abse is clutching at the memories of his past, but with time has come a new perspective and now he finds the truth difficult to find (his childhood is presented as a falsity due to him being naive and unsure of the truth at the time). The lack of identity given to these 'voices' and the vagueness of the phrase 'odds and ends' suggests that Cardiff has become unfamiliar to Abse - it  no longer is what he is used to, no longer home. This interpretation is supported in the final line of the fourth stanza: '...a city of strangers, alien and bleak.'

     The disappointment of reality is strengthened in the fourth stanza when Abse contrasts Cardiff as 'what [he] wanted it to be' with 'what it unashamedly is'. His hometown is presented as a disappointment, a place which, with time, has become 'alien and bleak'. Abse uses the word 'Illusory' to describe some childlike settings and memories which contrast with the 'real' elements of the present Cardiff which he has revisited, such as the 'smell of ripe, damp earth when the sun comes out, / a mixture of pungencies, half exquisite and half plain.' It could be argued that this contrasting mixture represents Abse's 'exquisite' childhood memories of imagination and adventure contrasting with the 'plain', disappointing reality of the present life he has found himself living.

     The final stanza presents Abse's 'other Cardiff' as disappearing (this probably being a reference to the Cardiff which he saw from his childhood perspective), and he describes how 'the boy [he] was not and the man [he is] not / met, hesitated, left double footsteps, then walked on.' It appears that Abse is separating his childhood-self from his adult-self, as if he has become a different person to who he was as a child. He not only presents disappointments within factors of his life and his surroundings, but also with himself: 'the boy I was not and the man I am not'. This suggests that he sees himself as a failure - he was not who he wished to be as a child, and is not who he wishes to be now. This ends the poem with a depressing, pessimistic tone. 

Down the M4

This poem explores the passing of time and how death is inevitable; just like the journey which Abse finds himself on as he travels 'Down the M4', the destination of death awaits us all. The tone of the poem is depressing and slightly downbeat, and it appears Abse is remembering the past as a much happier time - this is similar to many of Larkin's poems, such as 'Love Songs In Age'.
      The first word of the poem screams out at the reader due to Abse's appliance of an exclamation mark: 'Me!'. This begins 'Down the M4' in a dramatic way, and suggests sarcasm as the rest of the line is read: 'dutiful son going back to South Wales...'. Abse tells of how his mother's friends are now often 'disrobed' - this could suggest madness/dementia, and creates a degrading image of the elderly women in question. He goes on to explain how his 'aunts and uncles, too, go into the hole, one by / one.' This could be interpreted in two ways; it could be argued that Abse is symbolising the graves, and therefore deaths, of his family members through the phrase 'the hole', or he could be saying they too are beginning to lose their minds through old age. The final line of the first stanza describes how 'The beautiful face of [his] mother is in its ninth decade.' - this further reference to time and age holds a sad tone, as if Abse is regretful, almost mournful of the fact that his mother is ageing.
     Abse describes his mother's stories as 'monotonous' in the second stanza. This use of language makes the tone even duller and more depressing as the reader begins to see that Abse's visits to his 'beautiful mother' have become more of a chore than a pleasure - he is being 'dutiful'. He feels his hair 'turning grey' as he listens to her; by portraying himself as a vision of old age, Abse strengthens the idea that death becomes closer for everyone each day. The phrase also suggests that the monotony of his visits to his mother, and the repetition of their conversations (most probably due to her lack of memory which is a by-product of old age) is ageing him, not just time itself. Again, this presents the visits as duties and not events which he looks forward to.
     The third stanza makes reference to identity and religion, two common themes within Abse's poetry. 'the village' are presented as a voice of discrimination: 'Tell the truth,... / you're no Jewess.' This suggests that society did not accept Abse's mother's mother's identity and accused her of lying, highlighting the prejudice which Abse and his family were faced with. His emphasis on the words 'They're' and 'You're' portrays the isolation which she felt; she was not part of the majority and stood apart from the rest, similarly to Abse's childlike self in 'Red Balloon'. The fact that he is discussing his 'mother's mother' could be a presentation of how the language is dying out too.
     The final line of this poem is negative and depressing: 'It won't keep.' Abse appears to be making reference to the tune he is humming; it could be argued that this 'tune' is symbolic of his mother's life, and how it is not permanent, as is no other life. This idea that nothing lasts could be linked with Larkin's 'Love Songs In Age' which explores the way in which love is not permanent and does not 'solve' or 'satisfy'.
     The layout and structure of 'Down the M4' is visually intriguing on the page, and could be representative of many different things. It could be argued that the contrast of long, complex sentences with short lines echoes the way in which a road (such as the M4) can have long, straight stretches before being met with short, snappy corners or turnings. This interesting structure could also be a possible depiction of how one's life span can be long or short; death reaches us all, and we do not know when it will arrive.

Red Balloon

When researching this poem, I found that the symbolism of the balloon in question has been interpreted in many different ways; for example, it can be seen as representing happiness and confidence, and the importance of keeping these two things alive. However, in my opinion (and in the opinion of others), the balloon itself is symbolic of Abse's Judaism - it represents religion and identity, and the poem shows how these two things are often challenged throughout a person's life.

    The first two stanzas give a description of the balloon's journey towards Abse as it 'sailed across the startled town, / over chapels, over chimney-pots,' before he possessed it and polished it until 'it shone like living blood.' Abse's use of the word 'startled' could possibly suggest the fact that Judaism was not something Cardiff - the town in which he grew up - was used to or familiar with; it was something to be shocked by, something out of the ordinary. The repetition and alliteration used in the second line of the first stanza creates a childlike persona, which is very effective as Abse is talking about his childhood in this poem. The phrase 'living blood' is a juxtaposition - it creates a shocking, slightly sinister tone which creates a foundation for the rest of 'Red Balloon'.

     'It was my shame, it was my joy' - the opening line of the third stanza could reflect the way in which Abse's religion became everything about him, bringing him positivity and negativity all at the same time. It could be argued that this line shows the reader how Judaism was a huge part of his life. Abse then describes how 'From all of Wales the rude boys came, / it ceased to be a toy.' The phrase 'rude boys' suggests isolation and intimidation, and the next line could possibly represent how Abse was beginning to understand what his religion meant, and with this knowledge it became significant - it was no longer just a word.

     In the fourth stanza, Abse refers to the balloon as '...my balloon, my red balloon'; this use of a possessive pronoun depicts how protective he was over his religion, and although it appears to have made him vulnerable at times (as seen later in the poem), it made him strong and he felt possessive of his uniqueness. Abse then tells of how his balloon 'soared higher like a happiness', and it could be argued that this echoes his emotions. This stanza could be seen as portraying the positive effects of his religion; it was not just something that brought on bullying and discrimination, but also something which inflicted happiness on Abse and consolidated his identity. This interpretation is strengthened in the first two lines of the next stanza: 'Nine months since, have I boasted of / my unique, my only precious'. He appears proud of what isolates him and sees his religion as something which sets him apart, makes him special.

     However, the next half of this stanza change the tone of the poem; 'but to no one dare I  show it now / however long they swear their love.' This suggests a shame and shyness which contrasts with Abse's previous boastfulness. This echoes the first line of the third stanza, which also contrasts 'shame' with 'joy'. Again, Abse appears to be portraying how Judaism made him feel a wide variety of emotions. This presents religion as a very powerful, life-altering force. 'however long they swear their love' suggest that Abse has a lack of trust in people, even those he is close to; when reading this line it raised the question: who/what created this insecurities? This is partly answered in the seventh stanza, where Abse tells of someone exclaiming 'Your red balloon is a Jew's balloon, / let's get it circumcised.' This language is degrading and vulgar, and extremely disrespectful towards Abse's religion. It gives the reader an insight into the more unpleasant side of the religion he followed which made him 'unique', and suggests that he was bullied and discriminated because of it.

     The eighth stanza provides the reader with some vivid, deeply unpleasant descriptions of 'the boys' attacking Abse's balloon; 'some lunged, some clawed at my balloon'. This could be interpreted as Abse being physically or verbally attacked due to his religion. He then goes on to state how 'still it did not burst' - this emphasises how it is fragile yet he gives it strength, just like his pride in his religion makes him strong and protects him against the discrimination which he is faced with. 'Give up, give up your red balloon' - this repetition makes the statement sound taunting, unfriendly and aggressive. The line could be symbolic of society putting constant pressure on Abse to change his religion.

     The language used in the final stanza creates an extremely childlike and vulnerable tone; 'Father, bolt the door, turn the key, / lest those sad, brash boys return'. A frightened, innocent persona is created, in turn constructing a sad tone which evokes sympathy from the reader (towards Abse). 'to insult my faith and steal / my red balloon from me' - these last lines separate faith from the balloon. This could be seen as the balloon in fact representing happiness, which is consolidated through his right to live peacefully within the religion which he has chosen to serve. The fourth stanza supports this interpretation: 'my red balloon, / soared higher like a happiness'. 

     The themes which this poem follow are religion, isolation, prejudice, Jewish and Welsh partnerships, and identity. 'Red Balloon' could be linked to some of Larkin's poems, these being 'The Importance of Elsewhere', 'Water' and 'As Bad as a Mile'.

Leaving Cardiff

This poem by Abse is about the journey from Cardiff, his hometown in Wales, to London, where he makes the move away from home for the first time. The tone of the poem is one of sadness and loss, and it becomes very clear that Abse's feelings about leaving Cardiff are not ones of positivity or happiness. The first stanza ends with a line which portrays a sense of neglect; the docks are described as having 'derelictions' from which Abse 'prepare[s] to sail from'. The word 'derelictions' makes it sound as if the docks of Cardiff no longer care for Abse, and are neglecting him, instead of him neglecting them.
      The second stanza obtains strong imagery which is consolidated through descriptions that bring the setting of Abse's poem to life for the reader. The waves below him are described as 'slack hammocks', making them sound calm, peaceful and comforting, possibly suggesting that the seas of his hometown held him safely and he is about to be exposed to rougher waves (London) which are unfamiliar. He goes on to describe how the 'black shapes upon the pier / make the furthest star seem near.' This could be seen as portraying the way in which the elements of Cardiff which Abse has grown familiar with, and loves dearly, suddenly aren't clear anymore; they are just black shapes as they become more absent, yet they still hold comfort and a sense of belonging ('make the furthest star seem near').
     The third stanza describes how 'the funnels negations blow'. This suggests an absence of positivity and creates a sad tone, strengthening my opinion that Abse does not want to leave. This becomes concretely clear throughout the rest of the stanza; he tells of his 'eyes, like spaces, fill[ing]'. It appears that he is almost mourning the loss of his hometown - as it will seem lost to him, or him lost from it - and the word 'spaces' suggests a feeling of emptiness.
      In the fourth stanza, Abse uses a phrase which is slightly unclear/confusing, and could be interpreted in many different ways: 'For what who would choose to go / when who sailing made no choice?' My interpretation of these two lines is that Abse is telling the reader of his lack of choice in leaving Cardiff; it appears that he is being moved from his hometown by something other than will and want of a different future, and that he does not want to go. His emphasis on the word 'who' suggests a lack of identity, as if by leaving Cardiff he is losing his identity/a part of himself. He then goes on to explain how he knows he cannot 'be the same man twice.' Again, many different interpretations could be made about this phrase, but in my opinion he is suggesting that he cannot be the same man in London as he previously was in Cardiff. It could be argued that Abse is portraying how he will have a different cultural identity, and will therefore be a different person.
     The final two lines of this poem create a tone of new beginnings mixed with the sadness of moving on from the past: 'the boats under the hill / of Penarth unload and move on.' These boats could possibly be symbolic of people (maybe even Abse in particular), and how humankind often uproots and moves on to someplace new.

Ambulances

'Ambulances' explores death, and the way that it will eventually reach everyone, just as ambulances visit 'All streets in time'. Like some of his other poems, such as 'Faith Healing', Larkin makes reference to religion. This is apparent in the first line; the ambulances are described as being 'Closed like confessionals'. This holds connotations of religion and churches, and it could be argued to Larkin is saying doctors are the new priests. The word 'confessionals' also suggests a lack of identity - you don't know who is inside the ambulances, it could be anyone. He goes on to describe the vehicles as being a 'Light glossy grey' and presenting 'arms on a plaque' - this depicts a logo of health, suggesting authority. The vehicles 'come to rest at any kerb: / All streets in time are visited.' This presents the idea that anyone could be next - life is fragile. The ambulances are described in a way that makes them seem almost god-like; they are there when needed.
     The second stanza presents children as being 'strewn'; this sounds negative, as if the kids are objects which have not been tidied away and cannot be controlled. Larkin then goes on to describe the woman as 'coming from the shops / Past smells of different dinners'. This could be seen as a misogynistic stereotype of women from Larkin, and also snobbish in the presentation of different smells conjured up from, possibly bad, cooking. The next line displays an oxymoron: 'A wild white face' is said to be seen over the top of 'Red stretcher-blankets'. The word 'wild' suggests a face which is frantic, possibly animalistic, whilst 'white' holds connotations of pureness and a bland face. This contrasts with Larkin's use of alliteration, which makes them sound as if they belong together when in fact, they are a confusing pair. The final line of the second stanza presents the person in the ambulance as an 'it', being 'carried in and stowed' as if they were baggage. The word 'it' again gets rid of all identity, strengthening the earlier interpretation that anyone could be next, and there is no way of knowing when you will die. They patient/invalid is made into an object - it doesn't matter who it is in the ambulance, they are just seen as an ominous symbol.
     The first line of the third stanza presents another oxymoronic phrase; there is a 'solving emptiness / That lies just under all we do'. It could be argued that, through this phrase, Larkin is saying life is meaningless due to the fact that we are all going to die eventually. The tone of this poem is extremely pessimistic, and here it becomes clear that Larkin's message is that we are born to die, yet we all seem to deny it. This pessimistic tone is continued throughout the rest of the poem, and the final two lines finalise the idea that death comes closer as time goes on: 'Brings closer what is left to come, / And dulls to distance all we are.' These lines act as a realisation of the importance of life, and how we all have the same fate awaiting us, dissolving the 'unique random blend / Of families and fashions'.
     In my opinion, the ambulances in this poem symbolise a democratic path to death - they are available to everyone, and appear everywhere, just as death does. The rhyming pattern is a regular half-rhyme (some feminine), and it could be argued that the regularity portrays going back to the beginning, adding optimism to the gloomy, depressing tone of the poem. Enjambement is used within 'Ambulances', and this could possibly echo the feeling of movement and travel - a vehicle speeding from one town to the next. Larkin's ideas become more philosophical and complex as the poem goes on and the sentence length increases, contrasting with the receding time of life.

Home Is So Sad

This is a short poem by Larkin which explores themes of nostalgia and the idea of a heartbroken, lonely home who's owners have left it behind. Larkin presents the house as having an emotional response; he uses anthropomorphism to make the home come alive, portraying it as a character. For example, the home is said to 'wither' and feel 'sad' - this creates a tone of heartbreak, supposedly stemming from the fact that the home is 'bereft / Of anyone to please' (it's owners have left).
    Typical of other poems within The Whitsun Weddings collection, such as 'Love Songs In Age', Larkin nostalgically looks back upon time which have past - better times - '...what it started as, / A joyous shot at how things ought to be, / Long fallen wide.' These lines in the second stanza portray a sense of disappointment; the life which Larkin has been presented with is inadequate to what he imagined his future to entail. It appears that the home is not in fact sad, but Larkin was sad at home due to the things which passed and no longer remain. These things are represented through some simple elements: '...the pictures and the cutlery. / The music in the piano stool. That vase.' These are all the things that made him happy before, and they hold connotations of jolly things; the word 'pictures' makes the reader think of friends, family and memories, whilst 'cutlery' suggests dinner parties. The reader interprets 'The music' as being jolly, and the fact that it is now hidden away 'in the piano stool' could possibly depict the way in which it is in the past, and no longer acts as a source of happiness for Larkin. The word 'vase' suggests flowers, which themselves hold connotations of happiness and new life. The caesura used in the final line splits it into two sentences, the final one consisting of just two words: 'That vase.' This is dramatic and abrupt, and appears to finalise Larkin's opinion that the past is gone, and cannot be returned.