CHURCH GOING

by Larkin philip

.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Short Stories, School

25 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Steven]

A poem about longing for something more and not finding it but feeling some reverence for a dilapidated church surrounded by the dead that at least provides the conditions to search vainly for something more.

[Xavier]

Reflect the place was not worth stopping for.

Yet stop I did: in fact I often do

[Gavin]

There is a lot to unpack here and the dichotomy is an argument that goes on and on. Most people I know are not able to discuss calmly, much less rationally.

And perhaps that was Larkin's intention.

[Arnab Chatterjee]

An Atheist approach to the institution of Church

[Herb]

Not a banger

[Sam]

It was a short poem by Philip Larkin about a guy going to church for the last time. Really wasn't much to it. There may have been more to the story then I seen but I don't really care that much about poems so I didn't see much.

[Charlotte Verwijs]

This poem has many layers. Not only is it about a man visiting a church (church going) but also about the disappearance of religion during that time. He is wondering what will happen to religion, the believers and also the non-believers(since they won't have anything to not believe in anymore)

[Angie Taylor]

What I love about his poem is the speaker's commentary on searching for meaning. Even though the poem is pessimistic about religious belief as a whole I can't help but feel hope that no matter what the speaker's feelings other's will keep searching for meaning and answers in religious edifices.

[Nathan Ethridge]

I could reread this poem a million times and still be just as fascinated by it. An incredible poetic achievement.