The Malham Bird

Context:
- the persona remembers his first holiday with his wife, and in the last two stanzas there is a philosophical twist with the Jewish legend of the Malham Bird of Eden.

Themes:
- Marriage, and its relationship with religion.
- Journey.
- Faithful, morality and honesty.

Analysis:
- 'You a Gentile and I a Jew' suggests that their religions and the differences between them don't matter when love is involved, that love can break down any barriers.
- 'illicit' means forbidden by law, Abse uses 'illicit holiday' suggesting that they shouldn't be together and are breaking the rules.
- 'hidden' their a secret, privacy, on purpose.
- 'two chalk lines kiss and slowly disappear' united, nature unites like they do.
- 'Eden' biblical reference suggests perfection, purity and clarity, the beginning of life, the Malham Bird doesn't eat the forbidden fruit and lives forever in paradise, the Malham Bird was lonely, forever wishing, but still loyal.
- 'closed its eyes resolute' suggests it remained loyal in the eyes of temptation.
- The other 'birds' are singing, present he seems to keep his beliefs, purity.

Links to Larkin:
- The Whitsun Wedding - love, newly married.