Toads Revisited

This poem is a follow up to the poem 'Toads' in which Larkin expresses his dislike for work which for him is a 'toad', and how much he wants to just give up and stop, as even homeless life seems more appealing to him as a job. 'Toads Revisited' shows his change of opinion as now he no longer works he see's the other types of people who don't work and doesn't want to be associated with them. 

Stanza 1:

• 'should feel better than work' introduces the idea his views have changed. 
• Lists: 'the lake, the sunshine, the grass' suggests he is bored with nature. 
• 'lie' suggests pretending to life these things now would be a lie.

Stanza 2:

• 'blurred playground noises' suggests a deterioration of the senses reinforcing him aging, as well as reiterating his dislike for children.
• 'black-stockinged nurses' suggests mourning something, as he is mourning his younger years, and also demonstrates his objectification of women. 
• 'not a bad place to be. yet it doesn't suit me' shows how he understands the attraction to this life, but he has realized he doesn't feel it. 

Stanza 3:

• 'being one of the men' demonstrates his sexist beliefs as he sees himself as a lad. 
• 'you meet of an afternoon' shows he's got nothing to do with his day. 
• 'palsied old step-takers' and 'hare-eyed clerks with the jitters' is a reference to old and disabled people, the two types of people that have free time like he does, and he doesnt want to be in this category or associate himself with them. 

Stanza 4:

• 'waxed fleshed out patients' suggests they are pale and clammy, possibly on sick leave or discharged from hospitals.
• 'characters in long coats' is a reference to homeless people, as 'deep in litter baskets' demonstrates. 'deep' suggests they are stuck and can't get out, linking to the troubled lives of these people. 

Stanza 5:

• 'dodging the toad work by being stupid or weak'  shows Larkin's harsh view of people with problems, or the old and because he is now in that category, himself, suggesting they are lazy and 'work shy' when in reality they have no choice. 
• 'Think of being them!' reinforces him being unable to accept that he is one of them. 

Stanza 6:

• 'the sun by clouds covered' suggests Larkin has lost hope.
• 'Think of being them' repeated reiterates Larkin not being able to accept the position he is in. 

Stanza 7:

• 'turning over their failures' connotes the sadness of their lives, reinforced by 'nowhere to go but indoors' and 'no friends but empty chairs'
• 'by some bed of lobelias' connotes the insignificance of their lives. 

Stanza 8:

• 'give me my in-tray' shows Larkin is now demanding work again, because he doesn't want to be like those people. 
• 'loaf haired secretary', shows his sexist viewpoint, objectifying women by her bun hairstyle. Could also link to the idea of being a breadwinner, earning money and having a job. 
• 'Sir' suggests he feels the need to be in charge, as being retired he feels out of control. This is reinforced by the repetition of 'my', showing he needs to own stuff. 

Stanza 9:

• Sums up Larkins views about work, showing he now wants to work until he dies, and he will be happy to be an 'old toad' because although he is old and ugly he is happy. 
• 'Help me down cemetery road' demonstrates how he thinks when he needs help, like a disabled person would, that is when he wants to die, because he doesnt want to live like them.