Guardian publishes new Larkin poem

January 18, 2006 The poem, which can be read in full on The Guardian’s website, has been kept for 26 years by Larkin’s former secretary and lover Betty Mackereth. Larkin sent her the untitled poem during their affair in the mid-1970s. Ms Mackereth has broken her silence after a notebook belonging to the poet was {id="280" title="discovered"} last month. The poem was also mailed to 300 members of the Philip Larkin Society in their latest newsletter. "It’s autobiographical. He is talking about himself and Betty, and how things might be going between them," Don Lee, an official of the Society, told The Guardian.