The Mower

The Mower

by Philip Larkin

The mower stalled, twice; kneeling, I found
A hedgehog jammed up against the blades,
Killed. It had been in the long grass.

I had seen it before, and even fed it, once.
Now I had mauled its unobtrusive world
Unmendably. Burial was no help:

Next morning I got up and it did not.
The first day after a death, the new absence
Is always the same; we should be careful

Of each other, we should be kind
While there is still time.

Summary of “The Mower”

• Understanding “The Mower”: Philip Larkin’s poem, first published in 1979, tells the story of a gardener who accidentally kills a hedgehog with his lawnmower. The brief narrative turns into a meditation on death, loss, and the importance of human connection.
• The Essence of Kindness: The poem’s core revolves around the accidental harm inflicted on a small creature. The speaker remembers having watched the hedgehog before and even fed it, creating a personal bond. The routine act of mowing becomes tinged with sorrow and regret, and the speaker’s realization of the irreversible damage—“unmendably”—highlights life’s fragility and the weight of unintended consequences.
• Major Themes Explored: “The Mower” does not shy away from the universality of loss. The hedgehog’s death becomes a catalyst for reflecting on mortality and the lasting impact of absence. The final lines shift from the specific event to a general plea for kindness and consideration—“we should be careful / Of each other, we should be kind / While there is still time.” The poem urges us to cherish relationships and act with compassion before it is too late.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “The Mower”

Literary devices are tools writers use to craft meaning, evoke emotion, and enhance the reader’s experience. Larkin, though concise, employs several key techniques in “The Mower” to create a resonant and impactful poem.

1. Imagery: Larkin relies heavily on vivid imagery to immerse the reader in the scene. The opening lines—“The mower stalled, twice; kneeling, I found / A hedgehog jammed up against the blades”—immediately bring a visceral and disturbing image to the reader, placing us alongside the speaker as he discovers the tragic outcome.
2. Enjambment: Larkin skillfully uses enjambment—the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next—to create a natural rhythm and emphasize certain words. For example: “Now I had mauled its unobtrusive world / Unmendably. Burial was no help.” The break between “unobtrusive world” and “unmendably” highlights the irreversible nature of the damage.
3. Understatement: Larkin is a master of understatement. He does not indulge in sentimental language; instead, he presents the event in a straightforward, almost detached manner. The simple statement “Burial was no help” speaks volumes about the finality of death and the speaker’s sense of helplessness.
4. Allusion: While the poem does not directly allude to another work, it echoes the elegiac tradition of mourning and lament, reinforcing its exploration of loss and the transience of life.

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “The Mower”

Poetic devices shape the sound, rhythm, and meaning of verses. “The Mower” demonstrates Larkin’s skill in using these techniques to create a powerful and moving poem.

1. Free Verse and Form: “The Mower” is written in free verse, without a strict rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. Larkin retains a sense of structure through short stanzas, which mirror the speaker’s fragmented thoughts and emotional state.
2. Stanza Structure: The poem primarily uses tercets—three‑line stanzas—in the opening sections, lending restraint and quiet contemplation. The concluding couplet—“Of each other, we should be kind / While there is still time”—serves as a poignant and memorable call to action.
3. Assonance and Consonance: Larkin subtly employs these sound devices to create musicality and reinforce themes. The repetition of the “s” sound in “stalled, twice” and the soft consonant in “mower” adds to a sense of quiet sorrow. The short “e” sound in “fed it” and “before” also contributes to the poem’s musical quality.
4. Caesura: Caesura—a pause or break within a line—creates hesitation and emphasizes words. In “Next morning I got up and it did not,” the comma marks a brief pause that underscores the stark realization that the hedgehog is gone.

Quotes to be Used

The following lines from “The Mower” offer powerful insights into the poem’s themes and can be used for discussion or analysis.

“Is always the same; we should be careful
Of each other, we should be kind
While there is still time.”

This closing couplet serves as a universal plea for empathy and compassion, reminding us to cherish our relationships and act with kindness before it is too late. The simplicity of the language amplifies the poem’s emotional resonance, making it a timeless and profoundly moving work.