Faith Healing - Larkin

From within the first stanza of this poem we are able to see a clear description of the faith healer. From the word "glasses" we are able to inform that he has a professional expression but appears also business like too. His "silver hair" also links into the fact of him being experienced and also wise but also links towards the glasses of acting professional. From the line, "Persuade them onwards to his voice and hands" we see that it is sinister for he is hearding them like sheep and likes to rush them forward. Although the faith healer appears to be professional we see that he has little care or time for these women within the next two lines of the poem where they are given a certain time of his love. From seeing that he has an american voice we then also get the impression that he is forceful and aggressive for he does not ask the people that come for his help but rather shouts at them. This is typically media friendly being shown towards the audience due to his line. From him "scarcely pausing" we see that he is not interested in these women, he is only there to perform. We see from this that really he is not listening, this is all for profit and business and doing this all for himself. We then finally see that he wants to be above God with the words, "Directing God" for he states himself to be above him due to the amount of power he has. From within this first stanza the audience is able to clearly see that this faith healer is a con, a fake or a charlatan.
From within the second stanza the audience is then able to see that there is the representation of herding once more due to the word, "Sheepishly". The women, that are stated to be around middle age, are unable to control themselves and are portrayed as being weak and pathetic. From the phrase, "To reawake at kindness" we see that these women dont get any kindness or love when they are at home, the only time the get kindness is when they go see the faith healer. This then states to us that the women are alone and are vulnerable for they are desperate for love and care. From the next line on wards we see that there is some thoughts of being genuine in the poem for it shows belief to the women. Finally within this stanza we see religious words such as, "rejoice" and "joy arrives" telling us that the women are true believers and have true faith in this healer.
Finally within the final stanza we see that it is the persona talking to us with the phrase "What's wrong!". The audience then sees alliteration due to the words, "flowered frocks" which implies to us that the old women are lonely and that this point in the ladies lives are now wrong. We then get a large piece which implies to the audience different meanings that Larkin is suggesting to us. From the piece, "In everyone there sleeps A sense of life lived according to love" we see that it is idealised and shows us an image of what we want our lives to turn out. From the next piece stating, "To some it means the difference they could make By loving others" we are able to see that it gives a sense of purpose of loving over people. Being able to make a difference like a nurse or doctor is better for some people then how other people take it. The final piece states, "but across most it sweeps As all they might have done had they been loved". From this the audience is able to see the link to regret and that there is disapointment in their lives. They have not loved enough and questions if this is for not just the lonely women, but for all of us. Throughout the rest of the stanza we see that the faith healer is unable to cure or help with anything, and with the metaphor of the landscape the audience is able to see that it is illustrating the weather. Finally the word "ache" implies to the audience that it is the body thawing out due to the landscape description provided but also gives the sense of the ache being the need for love and desire. Throughout this poem we have seen that the writer has shown pity for the women have placed a great deal of trust and the desire into believing they can be cured by this healer when really it is all a performance.