[178] Water

If I were called in
To construct a religion
I should make use of water.

Going to church
Would entail a fording
To dry, different clothes;

My litany would employ
Images of sousing,
A furious devout drench,

And I should raise in the east
A glass of water
Where any-angled light
Would congregate endlessly.

    -- Philip Larkin.

Yesterday was O-bon, one of several Shinto festivals that grace the
Japanese calendar.

That, in itself, is not a particularly interesting fact, except insofar
as it motivated my choice of today's poem. You see, one of the motifs of
the O-bon celebration is the purity and power of water, and I got to
thinking about how so many religions do, in fact, use water as part of
their litany, as a 'furious devout drench'. From Holi in India to O-bon
to the Christian baptism ceremony, water (with all its attendant
symbolism) has a central role in many rituals and beliefs.

Interesting and thought-provoking, but what does it have to do with
poetry? Not much, I'm afraid :-)

thomas.

PS. In case you thought this was free verse, do note the rhythm of the
stresses - 223 223 223 3232 - the effect is to build up to a quiet yet
definite conclusion with wonderfully restrained elegance.

From: "Bob Morrow" <bob@>

Is not one possible purpose of poetry to be thought provoking ?

The thoughts that this provokes in me are probably not remotely akin to
those of Larkin - so as well as being free-verse (for I am puzzled to
note any rhythm stresses) it is also a free-thought poem ?

My thoughts are that it is not pro-religion - but then it could be ? -
lucky that my thoughts are of little consequence to anyone but me.

Bob Morrow

From: "Andrew Felton" <andy444@>

This poem has puzzled me for years. Perhaps larkin is using water to
symbolise a purity that he considers to be the perfect religion free of
prejudice and politics. However, we have to remember the washing of
Jesus' feet by his disciples and how he turned water into wine, and how
he floated on water (thanks to Moses), and how he walked on it. I don't
know, but raising a glass of water seems to symbolise the star of David
followed by the Magi and perhaps this poem is really about Christianity
after all.

Andrew Felton