'First Sight' by Philip Larkin

Scanning the field across from our front window with my binoculars has been the nearest I have come to the bit of snow we have had here but plenty of newborn lambs to see. I am very grateful to my old friend, professional clown and magician, psychologist colleague, traveller and seeker, Liz Kirkland for recommending another Larkin poem. This is what Liz said about 'First Sight':

 'I have been haunted by Larkin since studying him for A Level English. Many of his poems have troubled me and struck mortal fear into me!.... but this one is very much in tune with the poem 'All that is gold..' that you shared. So unusually hopeful for Larkin' 

 Thank you Liz. You are dead right about how challenging so many of Larkin's poems can be and it can take a long time to be able to say 'yes... but....... that doesn't have to be the case....' So much of what we read when young can seem to have the ringing power of a prophecy - rather than an option, an idea of being to be played with, valued and tossed away if necessary.



FIRST SIGHT
Lambs that learn to walk in snow

 When their bleating clouds the air

 Meet a vast unwelcome, know

 Nothing but a sunless glare.

 Newly stumbling to and fro

 All they find, outside the fold,

 Is a wretched width of cold.
As they wait beside the ewe,

 Her fleeces wetly caked, there lies

 Hidden around them, waiting too,

 Earth's immeasurable surprise.

 They could not grasp it if they knew

 What so soon will wake and grow

 Utterly unlike the snow.

Yorkshire lambs - Sam. Edward and Elias photographed this week by Bama Mike in Hebden Bridge.

Mike asked Edward if he wanted to build a snowman: 'No thanks, I made one last year'.


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