taken from: larkin's poem 'this is the verse'original text:

They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.

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.

Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don't have any kids yourself.

about the quoted person:

english poet.see i listen to money singing, it's like looking down ... for a comprehensive biography.the t-shirt worn by richey edwards depicting this quote was made especially for him by the British Artist Jeremy Dellar. dellar (1966) won the Turner Prize in 2004. this t-shirt was part of his series of public art works that involved the making of several T shirts, each containing slogans. [many thanks to fifi debord for providing this information on our forum].