The poem
Between my finger and my thumb The squat pin rest; snug as a gun.
Under my window, a clean rasping sound When the spade sinks into gravelly ground: My father, digging. I look down
Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds Bends low, comes up twenty years away Stooping in rhythm through potato drills Where he was digging.
The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft Against the inside knee was levered firmly. He rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep To scatter new potatoes that we picked, Loving their cool hardness in our hands.
By God, the old man could handle a spade. Just like his old man.
My grandfather cut more turf in a day Than any other man on Toner's bog. Once I carried him milk in a bottle Corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up To drink it, then fell to right away Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods Over his shoulder, going down and down For the good turf. Digging.
The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap Of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge Through living roots awaken in my head. But I've no spade to follow men like them.
Between my finger and my thumb The squat pen rests. I'll dig with it.
I believe that "pin" in the second line should be "pen;" In addition, it should be "rests," not "rest." This kind of typo is disgusting, and should be corrected.
i need the notes within one month as i got to sit for my preboards
i dont like the poem at all it doesnt rhyme
This poem was great, it taught me to cherrish what I am good at doing.
i think this is a great poem. very insightful and somehow speaks to the younger generations not only in how to respect their heritage but in how to respect their own talents and future, as Seamus Heaney himself does.
Should be, "The squat pen rests: snug as a gun."
Poor show, reproducing such a superb poem so badly.
The musical sense gave the poem a new momentum. The poetical metaphor and elements are strong enough to make readers aware of the relation between poet's ancestral past and the present. And the poem focuses on the image of future as well through circumstances that poet himself encountered personally.....
it is a very nice poem, it is in a way motivating us the youth that if we can't follow the roots of our ancestors because of some circumstances beyond our own control(such as not recieving enough teachings about our cultural backgrounds when growing up),we need not be disappointed in ourselves;rather use the talents tha God gave to you,just like Heaney does.
He should have followed the family buissness of digging patatoes.