. It is as though he would like to construct a religion for himself but hasnt quite sorted out what he wants from it. In the poem he is talking about using water as a religion, which would be completely new and different, but he still compares it to religion as we know it using the same terminology:- My liturgy would employImages of sousing, A furious devout drench,The ferocity in this stanza of using the water in such a way shows irritation, perhaps with people, so to rid himself of this he would soak them daily to make them wake up or perhaps to cleanse them. It is a beautiful image which he paints. By using water everything would be very simple, pure and clear so there would be no more problems. According to Larkin the whole world would follow this religion:- And I should raise in the eastA glass of waterHe uses this line because the sun rises in the east and everyone worships it and people raise their glass in agreement. The water would catch the light and water and light are both sources of life. He is trying to convey the message that the beauty lies in simplicity so we should follow that. The extent of his confusion is realised here but also his logic. If everyone did worship water there would be so many fewer problems because water is so neutral and simple and everyone would also agree with everyone else. From this it is easier to understand why Larkin has such a problem with religion, spirituality and trusting something no-one can truly promise is there at all.Larkin does not deny that spirituality exists. He would very much like to find it in the real world so that he could use it to cling to. This is what is portrayed by many of his poems although he may realise it and dislike it. In the poem Aubade which is a poem about fear of death he sneers at how religion is used to calm that fear:- Religion used to try, That vast moth-eaten music...
