FW16 Supreme ‘They Fuck You Up’ Philip Larkin Slogan Hoodie

“This Be The Verse’ is a lyric poem by English poet Philip Larkin. Written in April 1971, the work, consisting of three verses and an alternating rhyme scheme, would debut that same year in the New Humanist magazine. Famously quoted for one of the poem’s opening lines “They fuck you up your mum and dad”, the speaker addresses his audience directly. Larkin explains that even without intention, parental figures may impact their children in a negative manner, a resulting product of their own emotional baggage. Continuing, the poem reads “But they were fucked up in their turn by fools in old-style hats and coats, who half the time were soppy-stern and half at one another’s throats.” Insinuating that one’s grandparents were the cause of their parent’s affliction, the third stanza then confronts humanity’s never-ending cycle. With a call to action, the poet concludes his nihilistic sentiment, finalizing the work with “Get out as early as you can... And don’t have any kids yourself”.

 

Referenced in Supreme’s Fall 2016 collection, the New York skate brand prints Philip Larking’s iconic stanza atop an array of hoodies. Atop a heavyweight turquoise blank, white lettering reads “They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do.” in white contrasting text. Complete with a subtle namesake embroidery atop the hood, tagged as a size large in great condition throughout.