By comparing Larkin's work with that of his contemporaries, including Gunn, Enright, Amis and Wain, this study provides a novel approach for understanding and assessing the current state of English poetry. It focuses on their preoccupation with time, rather than the definition of time's enigmatic quality and it is concerned with the effect of time on man and things. The emphasis throughout the book is on the stylistic and linguistic feature of the verse through a thorough examination of the suggestivessness of their use of language, showing the extent to which they manage to incorporate their personal experiences into the structure of their poetry.