19 March 2009

Philip Larkin

"They fuck you up, your mom and dad"

They fuck you up, your mom and dad
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.

But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-stylen hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another's throats.

Man hands on misery to man
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can
And don't have any kids yourself.

I like this poem. It's funny, it's serious, it's to the point, and it uses the word "fuck." Helps show kids that poetry isn't all "thee" and "thine" and "love" and "dove." w00t

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