Critical Appreciation of Philip Larkin’s "At Grass"

Introduction

Philip Larkin’s  "At Grass"(1950), a reflective and poignant meditation on the passage of time and the decline of glory, taken from ‘The Less Deceived’  (1955)  is essentially a Movement Poem which depicts Larkin’s close scrutiny of life , its maturity and death.The poem contrasts the past splendor of racehorses with their peaceful retirement, using this imagery to explore broader themes of aging, memory, and the inevitable fading of once-prominent achievements.

Structure and Form

"At Grass" is written in five stanzas, each consisting of six lines with an ABCCBA rhyme scheme. This symmetrical rhyme pattern, combined with the iambic meter, gives the poem a formal, balanced structure that complements its meditative mood. The regularity of the form mirrors the quiet, orderly lives of the horses in their retirement, contrasting with the dynamic, chaotic world of the racetrack from which they have been removed.

Theme of Transience and Decline

The central theme of "At Grass" is the transitory nature of fame and success. Larkin uses retired racehorses, once celebrated and admired, to symbolize how all forms of glory are eventually forgotten. These horses, now grazing quietly in a field, are no longer the focus of public attention or the subject of admiration. This shift from active competitors to passive beings reflects the way human lives also evolve—from moments of brilliance and recognition to obscurity and tranquility.

In the opening lines, Larkin describes how the horses are now "unknown" and “unnoticed," no longer recognized by the public who once cheered for them. This sense of anonymity conveys the inevitability of decline after a period of success. The image of the horses being at rest in a "pasture" where "none of them now knows" they were once champions suggests that, with time, the burden of past glory dissipates, both for those who lived it and those who observed it.

Symbolism of the Horses

The horses in the poem function as a powerful metaphor for the impermanence of fame. In their prime, they represented vitality, strength, and the pinnacle of achievement. Larkin alludes to the horses' previous fame with references to their "ribbons" and "cups," symbols of their victories and accolades. The line "their names were races" highlights how, at one time, their identities were inseparable from their achievements.

  "At Grass" is also taken as a political allegory where there is emotionally complex treatment of contemporary English society. The superannuated race horses indicate England’s loss of power and glory. It is a post imperial poem and uses “language of imperial achievement and that of imperial loss”. The image of ‘squadrons’ are the long cry of England’s imperialism. The race horses, once famous, are English ancestors, famous generals, perhaps who can now ‘stand at ease’. The race horses symbolize something about success and failure and neglects to notice the threatening atmosphere of the modern social democracy.

Now, however, these symbols of success hold no meaning. The once "groomed and trained" horses have settled into a peaceful and uneventful existence, grazing without any expectation of returning to their former status. This transformation emphasizes the inevitability of time’s effects, which strips away the significance of past accomplishments.

Contrast between Past and Present

Larkin’s skillful use of contrast is a key feature of the poem. He juxtaposes the horses’ former life of energy, competition, and public adoration with their current life of quiet simplicity. In the past, they were the center of attention, running in races and performing for crowds. The phrase "silks at the start" evokes the vibrant, colorful world of the racetrack, full of excitement and anticipation.

The poem is about the race horses in their retirement. However, Larkin himself announced that he has never seen any race horse in the field of horse – racing, in which people stock money. Perhaps, he was inspired by a news-reel film on Brown Jack, the race horse in its retirement. The race horses that he describes are no more in their glory; these superannuated horses no longer participated in race. With case and comfort under the cool shade of trees they are grazing:

“The eye can hardly pick them out

From the cold shade they shelter in,
Till wind distresses tail and mane;
Then one crops grass, and moves about
- The other seeming to look on -
And stands anonymous again”

These horses has now lost individual identity but once, fifteen years ago these race horses were famous, own distinction in races and achieved glamorous fits, a vast crowd of people including the noble ladies used to attain the field of race and stock their money on the horses of their choice. In the month of hot June they used to park their curse outside the arena of the race course and if their favourite horse won the race they felt jubilant:

“Yet fifteen years ago, perhaps
Two dozen distances surficed
To fable them : faint afternoons
Of Cups and Stakes and Handicaps,
Whereby their names were artificed
To inlay faded, classic Junes – "

The poet is not sure about the fact that whether these horses are nostalgic of their glorious past or not. They no longer have to wait for the signal to run. Years rolled on, the horses are now enjoying leisurely. Their names remain in almanac only. No curious watcher stops to watch them. None looks at them through the window with a binocular. They are now waiting for the evening and the groom and his boy will come to bridle them away to the stable:

“Summer by summer all stole away,
The starting-gates, the crowd and cries -
……
Have slipped their names, and stand at ease,
……..

Only the grooms, and the grooms boy,
With bridles in the evening come.”

The poem belongs to movement poem and underneath its simplicity it identifies the poet’s mentality which is stripped of its glamour and the poet becomes an ordinary man speaking in ordinary language which sounds prosaic. What Larkin tries to bring home is that like youth old age is a necessary part of life and we must accept it calmly when it apprehends us. ‘At Grass’ is a serene picture of old age. The bright days of youth have passed on and the sunset of life is approaching.

Conclusion

In "At Grass," Philip Larkin uses the metaphor of retired racehorses to explore themes of time, fame, and the passage of life. Through restrained language and a reflective tone, Larkin presents a view of aging and obscurity that is calm and accepting, offering a subtle commentary on the transitory nature of human achievement. The poem’s celebration of peaceful retirement and freedom from public life reflects Larkin’s broader preoccupations with time, mortality, and the search for meaning in a world where nothing lasts forever.

    Ardhendu De        

Notes & Some key points: 

1. Philip Larkin is noted Movement Poet which refers to the group of poets of the 1950s. The other notable movement poets are John Wain, Kingsly Amis, Thomas Gunn, Donald Davie and Robert Conquest etc. In the poems of Movement Poets the inflated romanticism and stylistic excess of the 30s and 40s were replaced by ironic, realistic and anti-romantic stance. "At Grass" reflects on the lives of retired racehorses and their loss of purpose, highlighting the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. 
2. Larkin's use of vivid imagery to portray the horses' aging and decline
3. The melancholic tone of the poem, which emphasizes the horses' lost glory
4. The theme of mortality and the reminder that all living things must eventually face death
5. The poem's commentary on the role of animals in human society and the consequences of exploiting them for entertainment or profit.