From reading this poem we are able to see that the persona is talking about a portrait his friend Josef Herman had painted of him. We can see that Josef has a way with paint due to how he portrays the use of colour within the first stanza. This is portrayed as being negative due to the line, "Autumn is your season" and therefore gives us the notion that nature is dying. This could mean that he has placed Abse within a different light when painting him and the real Abse is not being shown within this portrait no matter how much effort Josef has placed within this work.
As we continue through this poem we see that Abse informs Josef that the painting is not like him with the line, "Josef, this other is not me". He sees that this is not what he is like or brings him the worry of people seeing him like this. This then makes him feel like he is portrayed as being a negative person due to this portrait and makes him feel like he needs to change.
As we go to the next stanza we see that Abse is talking about this other person who he sees within this portrait is not him and therefore his passport would have be forged. He has a fake identity for he is not the real Abse. We also get the negative impression within Poland with the lines, "his exile inevitable, his wound undescribable" and informs the audience to imagine the worse with punishments and tortures that have occured. He then goes on to talking about his clothing not be worn down or turned ragged and therefore is able to make the link between reality and the fiction of this image. Within reality we know that once clothing becomes worn down we then buy new clothing. This is represented with how the painting never changes whilst in reality we do making the portrait also to look nothing like Abse for he can always change but the picture cant.
From the next stanza, we see that it is almost like we are able to link to what the viewer of this picture is feeling with the line "that look of loss". They are confused about this image and are unsure if this image is portraying the truth or is lying to them. It could be both or just one of these references.
We also see the poet, Dylan Thomas is brought up in this poem and is placed as being terrified of the image that is shown of Abse. This could also link to how Josef is wrong about his view on Abse for Dylan has a "pettrified" expression upon his face.
We then also see that this image is portraying a negative approach to the Welsh community for they speak of religion and facing the devil. Abse has been placed as a worker of the devil and is portrayed to his people as being an outsider. He then ends the poem with questioning Josef about his work and the magic he has placed upon it. It is almost as though Josef has twisted people's views on him all due to a simple portrait and he questions what has really happened.
Poems that are by Larkin that could link to Abse would be Self's the Man and MCMXIV. The reason these poems are able to link to Abse is how he has the reference of memory with war and also the notion that he is making a self assessment all due to a painting. It could also link to any of Larkin's poem of Faith Healing with how it relates to religion and how God is able to help. In Abse we see that no God will help Abse at this time and he is within the view of the devil.
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