1964: Philip LARKIN and John BETJEMAN on Poetry | Monitor | Classic arts interview | BBC Archive

John Betjeman meets Philip Larkin, to discuss poetry and the inspirations behind it, and the city of Hull where Larkin lives and works as University Librarian.
Originally broadcast 15 December, 1964.
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[@FOXHOUND4143]

He said something important here. He could only write the most genuine authentic poetry because he had another means of income, as a librarian. This is important, because too often we take our work too seriously. Work should be a means to an end sometimes , affording us the freedom to do what we really want to do in life.

[@nspector]

Yes. Good point.

[@OccamsEraserhead]

Remember when the BBC showcased culture and intellectualism, rather than recoiling from it as if it were some contagious disease?

[@kpb96m]

Philip wears his suit so effortlessly. I would love to be so comfortable in a suit that I could sit in the grass, walk in the drizzle, lounge comfortably at home and ride a bicycle without worrying about wrinkles, stains or damage to the attire. How did they do it?

[@hilaryepstein6013]

Delightful to listen to. Two giants of modern English poetry just chatting. I wonder what they'd make of the modern world.

[@jonharrison9222]

One can guess.

[@MrGoneTroppo]

Tab on Larkin.

[@borderlands6606]

Talk of distant Victorian death, from an equally distant land of cod and cough sweets, and stiletto heels.

[@U24B6]

I absolutely loved this conversation. Thank you!

[@maullinp]

I wish there was more of it -Love Larkin's poetry. Just quiet, modest conversation between two brilliant minds. Love the settings as well.

[@adig2414]

Larkin is hands down my favourite poet, along with Yeats.

[@DaraM73]

A shame it had to finish.

[@sonofode902]

Love it. Love the content of the channel. Like finding gold. Thank you for sharing these old videos.

[@davidbowey1784]

Philip larkin is the poet I've enjoyed reading more than any other JB wa a fav of mine as well its great to watch two giants of poetry discussing poetry

[@danslider9014]

I'm sat watching this at the Hull Uni bar (Now a wetherspoons) on a smart phone. I wonder what Larkin would make of that...

[@whywhywhy9659]

Watching it on lunch as a civil servant on my phone, pretty sure Larkin would hate me, which only seems right.

[@jonharrison9222]

You can guess what Larkin would use a smartphone for, so…

[@hellie_el]

so wonderful it breaks your heart.

[@petergivenbless900]

I fear I have no ear for poetry, yet when time's spent in it's company, I seem to see it everywhere. No Stillettos Aloud

[@markriley5863]

Larkin is my favourite poet. I love Going Going, High Windows, Dockery and Son, Money, This be the Verse .. I could go on.

[@jdm65]

This is rather wonderful (although it could also be the lead into a Fast Show sketch)

[@philipsarbutt1730]

60 years on and still an interesting and engaging conversation - thank you for sharing it. There's something brilliantly 'larkinesque' about his final comment in this clip (7:43). Betjeman: 'I read it (Larkin's poem 'Here') to some Hull people last night and tears came to their eyes they thought it was so good. "Oh", they said, "We must know this man. Can't he come and see us?". Larkin (laughing): 'That's another evening gone!'.

[@patrickcrowther9195]

Studying Larkin’s ‘The Less Deceived’ at school was one of the few things I enjoyed of the experience.

[@JamesTilsley1]

We'll never see their like again.

[@iansmith9125]

How true 👍

[@heresjohnny602]

I hear my own national dialect so little these days that these videos warm my nostalgia.

[@paulschlitz5256]

I’m an American who loves the verse of both of these characters!

[@roderickdewar1064]

I imagine adding Ted Hughes, Benjamin Zephaniah and John Cooper Clarke into that conversation. I would have loved to listen to them.

[@whiggles9203]

No thanks

[@johnmc3862]

Real men Lol.

[@liverpix]

It seems that John Betjeman has read Philip Larkin's poems but not vice versa.

[@hayleyanna2625]

Wonderful to see these two magnificent poets.❤

[@andrewelliott4436]

Very sympathetically filmed. No extreme angles, unnecessary zooms, fast edits or intrusive music. The subject has the room to breathe - and the viewer has the room to think.

[@KajiCarson]

Very nice restoration of this interview, thank you for taking the trouble in doing it. Larkin, warts and all, was a very decent fellow.

[@Veni_Vidi_Vortice]

Good job he wasn't wearing stiletto heels in the library. That might have been awkward.

[@nspector]

That was something, wasn't it.

[@markpalmar70]

There's that rabbit again. An absolutely splendid film.

[@iansmith9125]

Now we have a horrible trend of people spewing out two line self help soundbites & it’s understood to be poetry. It’s usually lamenting an ex or affirming how unbelievably strong (& yet vulnerable) the writer is. It’s utter horseshit & anyone who likes it is an idiot. Larkin had insight & talent, skill. Betjeman had a great generosity of spirit & an understanding of the form & figure of the poem itself. Facebook poetry, instagram poetry, cheapens the real thing & dupes the innocent into accepting fakery when the solid, real artifact is available. Rant over 😂

[@bettinggetter]

Horrible poetry has always existed, but back then the most offensive thing one could do is to tear it out of the scrapbook where it belonged and pin it up on some public board. Now it's easier still to type up and hit send. This concept can be mapped onto all forms of art I'd suppose, and there are fortunately ways to filter through the noise otherwise life might be unbearable.

[@_PoeticJustice_]

Please check out the following video for more content about Philip Larkin: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZKwgoydbchroq8

[@jamesgale2147]

where Larkin was first strolling, is doubtless now a line of wharfeside line of cafes and bistros

[@markbumford8076]

In my ignorance I know nothing of these to gentleman and feel my ignorance has left me missing out? Can anyone recommend any of their works please. Many thanks

[@maullinp]

I Highly recommend 'Whitsun Weddings' by Larkin.

[@markbumford8076]

@@maullinp thank you so much Paul.

[@hilaryepstein6013]

I would suggest "Summoned by Bells" by John Betjeman, but I love most of his poetry. He also made documentaries for the BBC, some of which are on BBC iPlayer (UK only) and KZbin.

[@markbumford8076]

@@hilaryepstein6013 thank you Hillary for you suggestions

[@nigecheshire9854]

Whitsun weddings is something I would recommend

[@davidtexmex1616]

Interesting conversation with these two, always was a fan of Reasons for Attendance

[@joeoconnor5400]

I saw this programme on BBC 4 last night. Two giants of 20th Century poetry musing together. Larkin's views on Ted Hughes were interesting. Hughes was not aware Larkin had been asked first to be poet laureate

[@jonharrison9222]

In fact, he guessed (correctly) that Larkin had been offered the post and turned it down. Reading Larkin on Hughes, Heaney or RS Thomas and you sense jealousy at work rather than intelligence.

[@depniff]

Interesting views on critics. They felt the pressure but I wonder how they would get on nowadays where everyone can be an instant critic. Some KZbinrs spend yoo much time being concerned about a minority who don't agree with them and should get their views into perspective like Philip.

[@jonharrison9222]

Philip’s sense of perspective usually involved swilling gin and casual racism, in fairness.

[@begratefulx8386]

💎

[@buxvan]

Larkin could be Jacob Rees mogs father.

[@esc6786]

Simon Raven has a character in his Arms of Oblivion series who is based on him...

[@dickie_white]

Bliss