Instructor Ryan Hibbett discussed British poet Philip Larkin’s use of vulgar language in poetry at a Tuesday event.

Hibbett’s presentation, Poetry Said Fuck, was a part of the Brown Bag series. The Brown Bag series, hosted by the English department, allows instructors to share their research findings with students and fellow instructors. Hibbett’s research focused on how poetry can merge with casual speech. He highlighted the works of Larkin and his use of the word “fuck.”

“His reputation is rooted to his swearing,” Hibbett said. “Larkin is not just England’s poet; he is one of their characters.”

During his presentation, Hibbett shared quotations by people who were critical of Larkin’s use of profanity in his work.

“[It was] poignant, relevant and entertaining,” said junior English major Amy Bayliss. “A great lecture that sparked a great discussion.”

Hibbett said the integration of crude language in poetry has stirred commotion in society.

“As often as we hear it, swearing can still, in certain contexts, be a very powerful form of speech — it can communicate rebelliousness and anger, or open up space for common ground,” Hibbett said. “It gets even more complicated when the ‘F word’ appears in a poem, and from a major poet. I think it’s interesting to investigate how others respond to such a moment, and tease out what is at stake in terms of social identities. In Larkin’s case, the ‘F word’ occurs specifically at moments of generational conflict.”