On 2nd December 2022 the Coventry Society unveiled a plaque at the birthplace of Coventry’s most famous poet, Philip Larkin. Larkin was born in Radford in 1922 and died on 2nd December 1985.
The poem Coventry people know best is:
I Remember, I Remember by Philip Larkin
Coming up England by a different line
For once, early in the cold new year,
We stopped, and, watching men with number plates
Sprint down the platform to familiar gates,
“Why, Coventry!” I exclaimed. “I was born here.”
I leant far out, and squinnied for a sign
That this was still the town that had been ‘mine’
So long, but found I wasn’t even clear
Which side was which. From where those cycle-crates
Were standing, had we annually departed
For all those family hols? . . . A whistle went:
Things moved. I sat back, staring at my boots.
‘Was that,’ my friend smiled, ‘where you “have your roots”?’
No, only where my childhood was unspent,
I wanted to retort, just where I started:
By now I’ve got the whole place clearly charted.
Our garden, first: where I did not invent
Blinding theologies of flowers and fruits,
And wasn’t spoken to by an old hat.
And here we have that splendid family
I never ran to when I got depressed,
The boys all biceps and the girls all chest,
Their comic Ford, their farm where I could be
‘Really myself’. I’ll show you, come to that,
The bracken where I never trembling sat,
Determined to go through with it; where she
Lay back, and ‘all became a burning mist’.
And, in those offices, my doggerel
Was not set up in blunt ten-point, nor read
By a distinguished cousin of the mayor,
Who didn’t call and tell my father There
Before us, had we the gift to see ahead –
‘You look as though you wished the place in Hell,’
My friend said, ‘judging from your face.’ ‘Oh well,
I suppose it’s not the place’s fault,’ I said.
‘Nothing, like something, happens anywhere.’
For the unveiling of the plaque Coventry’s Poet Laureate Emilie Lauren-Jones wrote her own poem in celebration of Larkin:
On the Unveiling of Philip Larkin’s Blue Plaque by Emilie Lauren-Jones
after I Remember, I Remember by Philip Larkin
Nothing, like something, happens anywhere
but I’m glad it happened here.
Every time I walk through town,
I find shops have moved
and my new favourite restaurant
closed down
but writers meet in the crevices
knowing that poeting is possible within these walls
because your footsteps knew these streets too,
your pen formed words at a wooden desk
and the magazine you were proud to put your name beneath
is still in print.
Every time I read that poem,
I get a little buzz, knowing that my city
is the one that’s namedropped.
I’m well aware of poetic licence
and that you could have mentioned anywhere.
But I’m glad you didn’t, I’m glad it was here.
An AI Poem about Coventry
For comparison the following poem was created using an AI (artificial intelligence) chatbot that will respond to most things you ask it. John Fletcher, former leader of Coventry City Council, asked it to write a poem about Coventry, and this is what it wrote:
Coventry, a city steeped in history
A place of kings and queens, a royal legacy
But now it stands as a beacon of peace
A symbol of resilience, a city that never ceased
From its ancient cathedral, tall and grand
To its bustling markets, where people flock to stand
Coventry is a city that’s always on the move
A place where cultures blend, a diverse community to prove
From the sounds of its music, to the taste of its food
Coventry has something for everyone, it’s a city that’s good
So come and visit, and see for yourself
The beauty of Coventry, a city that’s wealth
In its history, its culture, and its people too
Coventry is a city that we all should pursue
So take a trip, and discover all it has to offer
You won’t be disappointed, in Coventry, you’ll proffer
Poetry is a matter of taste and choice. You choose! Perhaps you could do better? If so here is an opportunity for you!
Poets Wanted!
Positive Images Festival are commissioning five local poets to each perform a 7 minute set at our ‘Thrive’ community event on Saturday 18th March 2023
We are commissioning a diverse range of poets from across Coventry, in particular we want to support artists from underrepresented communities.
All applicants must be over 18 and living in Coventry. The theme of the event is ‘green spaces’ and this should be reflected in the piece(s) you want to perform. We are hoping poets will demonstrate a connection with nature and green spaces within an urban landscape. This could include how you see yourself in these spaces or celebrate thriving in nature.
Successful artists will be paid £50 for their performance and will receive the opportunity to attend two online group mentoring sessions with Coventry Poet Laureate, Emilie Lauren Jones.
Please email expressions of interest to [email protected] and include the following:
- Up to three examples of your poetry
- Explain in up to 200 words (or a 2 minute video clip) any previous poetry experience and why you would like to take part
Deadline for applications: Midnight on Monday 23rd January. Applicants will be informed of the outcome by Monday 30th January. For further information or any questions regarding accessibility, please contact Emilie on [email protected] or 078 0510 4743