My first ChatGPT

I entered “The life and works of the poet Philip Larkin in 1000 words” here. 450 came back.

Philip Larkin (1922-1985) was a British poet, novelist, and librarian who is widely regarded as one of the most important voices in post-World War II British poetry. Larkin was born in Coventry, England, and attended Oxford University, where he studied English literature. After graduating, he worked as a librarian at the University of Leicester, the University of Belfast, and finally the University of Hull, where he spent the majority of his career.

Larkin's poetry is known for its bleak, often pessimistic tone, and its focus on the mundane aspects of everyday life. He is often associated with the movement known as "The Movement," a group of poets who rejected the avant-garde experimentation of their predecessors in favor of a more traditional, accessible style of poetry.

One of Larkin's most famous poems is "This Be The Verse," which begins with the lines "They fuck you up, your mum and dad / They may not mean to, but they do." The poem's frank, unsentimental tone and its focus on the damaging effects of family relationships made it a controversial work when it was first published in 1971.

Another notable work by Larkin is his collection "The Whitsun Weddings," which includes the poem of the same name. The collection explores themes of time, mortality, and the passage of seasons, and is widely regarded as one of Larkin's best works. "The Whitsun Weddings" is also notable for its use of vernacular language and its depiction of working-class life in post-war Britain.

Larkin's other notable collections include "The Less Deceived," "High Windows," and "Collected Poems." His poetry is characterized by its clarity, its precise and unadorned language, and its ability to find beauty in the mundane.

In addition to his poetry, Larkin was also a respected novelist and essayist. His novel "A Girl in Winter" (1947) is a bleak and haunting portrayal of life in wartime England, and his essays, collected in "Required Writing" and "Further Requirements," are celebrated for their wit and insight into the human condition.

Despite his literary achievements, Larkin was also known for his reclusive personality and his controversial views on race and politics. In his private life, Larkin was a heavy smoker and drinker, and he never married or had children. He died of cancer in 1985, and his funeral was attended by a small group of close friends and colleagues.

In the years since his death, Larkin's reputation has continued to grow, and he is now widely regarded as one of the most important British poets of the 20th century. His influence can be seen in the work of countless poets who have followed in his footsteps, and his legacy continues to inspire new generations of readers and writers.

No Kingsley Amis, Monica Jones or jazz. But not bad. “The movement known as ‘The Movement'” could be rephrased. And surely the F word, rather than the unsentimental tone, made TBTV controversial. But these are quibbles. Let’s try again.

Philip Larkin was a British poet, novelist, and librarian, known for his simple yet powerful language, and for his explorations of themes such as death, love, and the passage of time. Born in Coventry, England in 1922, Larkin was educated at the University of Oxford, where he studied English literature. He went on to work as a librarian for many years, first at the University of Leicester, and later at the University of Hull, where he served as the head librarian from 1955 until his retirement in 1985.

Larkin's poetry is often characterized by its stark realism and its unsentimental portrayal of everyday life. His most famous poem, "This Be The Verse," begins with the line "They fuck you up, your mum and dad," and goes on to explore the idea that our childhood experiences can have a profound and lasting impact on our lives. Larkin's work is often bleak and pessimistic, but it is also infused with a sense of dark humor and irony, as he skewers the pretensions and hypocrisies of modern society.

One of Larkin's most famous collections of poetry is "The Whitsun Weddings," published in 1964. The title poem describes a train journey from Hull to London on the day of the Whitsun weddings, and it is widely regarded as one of Larkin's finest achievements. The poem captures the sense of excitement and anticipation that pervades the train as it speeds towards the capital, but it also explores the darker themes of mortality and the passing of time.

Another of Larkin's most famous poems is "An Arundel Tomb," which describes a medieval tomb in a church in Sussex. The poem reflects on the nature of love and the transience of human life, as Larkin observes that the effigies of the tomb's occupants have been "preserved just so by what they did / And if you look long enough / They will begin to move." The poem has been interpreted as a tribute to Larkin's own parents, who are buried in the same churchyard.

Larkin's novels include "Jill" (1946), "A Girl in Winter" (1947), and "The Less Deceived" (1955). Although he is primarily known as a poet, Larkin's prose is also marked by its clarity and economy of expression. His novels often explore the themes of loneliness and isolation, and they are notable for their vivid characterizations and acute observations of human behavior.

Despite his reputation as a master of gloomy verse, Larkin was also capable of writing lighter and more playful poetry. His poem "Vers de Société," for example, is a witty and urbane satire on the social mores of the middle classes. Similarly, his poem "High Windows" is a bawdy and irreverent celebration of sexual liberation, in which Larkin declares that "we should be careful / Of each other, we should be kind / While there is still time."

Larkin's life was marked by a certain amount of personal tragedy. He never married and had few close friends, and he suffered from depression and anxiety throughout much of his life. He was also deeply affected by the death of his mother, who passed away when he was just 25 years old. Despite these difficulties, however, Larkin continued to produce some of the most important and enduring poetry of the 20th century, and his work remains widely read and celebrated to this day.

Philip Larkin died in 1985 at the age of 63, but his legacy lives on in the countless readers and writers who have been inspired by his poetry. His influence can be seen in the work of many contemporary poets, who have taken up his mantle of stark realism and

Less good. He was 55, not 25, when his mother died. “We should be careful…” is from The Mower not High Windows. The Less Deceived wasn’t a novel. An Arundel Tomb is not about his parents, and they weren’t buried in the churchyard.

Humans can still beat AI, just.

Jim Thornton