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Philip Larkin may have accused his mum and dad in verse of "f***ing him up", but new letters reveal he shared a close bond with his parents.
The poet referred to them as "Mop and Pop" and wrote to them two or three times a week while he was an 18-year-old Oxford undergraduate.
The unpublished letters, given to Hull University on permanent loan by a relative, reveal how he hitchhiked home to Coventry after it was bombed to check on parents Sydney and Eva.
They also reveal how he shared with them his experiences at St John's College, where he studied English, and also discussed literature with them.
After Coventry was bombed on 14 November, 1940, he and a friend attempted to hitchhike the 60 miles to the city. Unsuccessful, they returned, only to find a telegram from them informing him they were safe. He responded: "First, I was tremendously relieved to know that you were safe.
"While you had the bombings, fires, rescue parties and all the rest of the grim trappings of air raids, we up here have merely had unpleasant rumours, the horrific newspapers and lack of news."
While the letters show hints of impatience, particularly with his mother, they are also peppered with jokes and affection. In one he signs off: "Love, love, love, Philip."
Reader views (1)
You mean one of the greatest English poets of the 20th century may have had ambivalent feelings about his parents? Throw out all of the biographies. This changes everything.
- Bloke, Lambeth, 23/11/2009 14:32
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