Broadcast

Broadcast is a poem that Larkin wrote about a woman he was in love with, Maeve Brennan, as he uses music to try and connect with her as he listens to a concert on the wireless that she is at, however as the poem goes on reveals the distance between them. 

Stanza 1:

• 'giant whispering and coughing' is an oxymoron used to demonstrate he is listening to the radio and the reception is poor, so it is not easy to distinguish what is going on. 
• 'sunday full and organ frowned on' suggests they are in a church/churchlike place. 'frowned on' denotes his negative view of religion. 
• 'sudden scuttle of drum' anthropomorphism introducing national anthem. 'A huge resettling' hints to the large number of people at this concert, isolating Larkin as someone listening alone.
• 'a snivelling of the violins' suggests the start of a love song, 'snivelling' could be interpreted as Larkin's negative view of this music, or the sadness it makes him feel or portrays. 
•  'i think of your face among all those other faces' introduces Maeve and demonstrates his love for her. 

Stanza 2:

• 'beautiful and devout' shows the strong relationship and love he seems to have for this woman. 
• 'cascades of monumental slithering' contrasts with 'beautiful and devout', suggesting things may not be as good as they seem. 
• 'gloves unnoticed on the floor' shows Larkin is paying attention to the small details showing his love, but could suggest she is discarding him like the gloves. This is reinforced by the 'i lose' at the end of the line, the line break emphasizing his desperation.
• this followed by 'new slightly oumoded shoes' could suggest he feels replaced. It also demonstrates she is not that fashionable but Larkin doesnt care.  
• 'it goes dark' links to the unpredictability of the radio, as well as life as Larkin suddenly looses 'all but the outline'. 

Stanza 3:

• 'leaves on half-emptied trees' is pathetic fallacy of autumn suggesting something is coming to an end. Leaves falling also gives a sense of things dying and being lost.
• 'rapid storms of chording' demonstrates how the music reflect his rampant emotions.
• 'distant overpower my mind' shows how he feels overwhelmed by his isolation.
• 'the cut off shout' shows something has ended, leaving him 'desperate to pick out your hands, tiny in all that air, applauding'.