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"An Arundel Tomb" is a poem by Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin

Philip Arthur Larkin, Order of the Companions of Honour, Commander of the British Empire, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature , was a UK poet, novelist and jazz critic....
, published in 1964 in his collection The Whitsun Weddings
The Whitsun Weddings (book)

The Whitsun Weddings is a collection of 32 poems by Philip Larkin. It was first published by Faber and Faber in the United Kingdom on 28 February 1964....
. It comprises 7 verses of 6 lines each, each rhyming abbcac.

The poem describes a medieval tomb, which can be found in Chichester
Chichester

Chichester is a cathedral city status in the United Kingdom in West Sussex, England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Ancient Rome past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings....
 cathedral; the tomb is of a medieval lord, (Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel
Earl of Arundel

The title Earl of Arundel is the oldest extant Earldom and perhaps the oldest extant title in the Peerage of England. It is currently held by the Duke of Norfolk, and is used by his Heir Apparent as a courtesy title....
), and his lady, (Eleanor of Lancaster, his 2nd wife), with their dogs at their feet.






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"An Arundel Tomb" is a poem by Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin

Philip Arthur Larkin, Order of the Companions of Honour, Commander of the British Empire, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature , was a UK poet, novelist and jazz critic....
, published in 1964 in his collection The Whitsun Weddings
The Whitsun Weddings (book)

The Whitsun Weddings is a collection of 32 poems by Philip Larkin. It was first published by Faber and Faber in the United Kingdom on 28 February 1964....
. It comprises 7 verses of 6 lines each, each rhyming abbcac.

The poem describes a medieval tomb, which can be found in Chichester
Chichester

Chichester is a cathedral city status in the United Kingdom in West Sussex, England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Ancient Rome past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings....
 cathedral; the tomb is of a medieval lord, (Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel
Earl of Arundel

The title Earl of Arundel is the oldest extant Earldom and perhaps the oldest extant title in the Peerage of England. It is currently held by the Duke of Norfolk, and is used by his Heir Apparent as a courtesy title....
), and his lady, (Eleanor of Lancaster, his 2nd wife), with their dogs at their feet. He has his right hand ungloved and her right hand rests lightly upon his.

In an audio recording of the poem, Larkin states that the effigies were unlike any he had ever seen before and that he found them "extremely affecting."

Larkin uses this scene to muse on time, mortality and the limits of earthly love.

It begins thus:-

Side by side, their faces blurred,
The earl and countess lie in stone,


and concludes

Our almost-instinct almost true:
What will survive of us is love.


Most commentators see this final couplet as a positive affirmation, but some others see in it a lugubrious Larkin-statement of the opposite (namely a weak statement of hope in the face of reality).

The poem is one of the three read at Larkin's memorial service.

See also

  • List of poems by Philip Larkin
    List of poems by Philip Larkin

    Philip Larkin published four volumes of poetry during his lifetime:*The North Ship *The Less Deceived *The Whitsun Weddings *High Windows He also published other poems, included in the Collected Poems ? 2003 edition as two appendices to the four volumes listed above....