A Winter Visit

This poem is about Larkin's mother towards the end of her life. The fact that it is winter "too cold" could be symbolic of this. He talks bout peacocks and says that "from one pale dot of peacocks sperm, spring forth all the colours of the peacocks tail." this could be referring to the fact that life still remains in his mother and she still has the potential to live a fulfilling life. Also in the poem it says "for i inhabit a white coat, not a black even here" this shows that although Abse will mourn his mother, he will not be sombre because she no longer enjoyed life. This poem reminds me of 'Reference Back' as he also talks of his mother and remembers her life.