By Seamus Heaney Mari Sweeney Digging By Seamus Heaney Mari Sweeney

Poem Between my finger and my thumb The squat pen rests; 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

Poem-cont. 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.

DIDLS Diction- The words in “Digging” are simple and easy to understand, with a mix of flowing and choppy thoughts. -flowing- “The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap of soggy peat, the curt…” -choppy- “For the good turf. Digging.” Alliteration: “the squelch and slap of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge” Images- Images are created of the speaker’s father and grandfather out in the field digging. “Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods over his shoulder…”

DIDLS- cont. Details- Details are included about what the speaker is doing (writing) and details about the memories he recalls about his father and grandfather in the field. “By God, the old man could handle a spade. Just like his old man.” Language- The Language of “Digging” is simple and descriptive, yet not overly emotional. The speaker ends with “I’ll dig with it”, leaving his or her thoughts up to interpretation. The poem is written in 1st person. Sentence Structure-The poem is told in free verse with no pattern or rhyming scheme. Some sentences are long and descriptive and others are short to provide contrast.

TPCASTT Title- The title, “Digging” implies that the poem may be about someone or something that is currently digging. Paraphrase- The poem “Digging” begins with the speaker holding a pen. He or she looks out their window to see the father in the field, which brings back memories of the speaker’s grandfather doing the same thing. In the end, the speaker resolves to simply “dig” with the pen.

TPCASTT-Connotation Form-Free Verse, 31 lines Diction- Simple and descriptive Imagery- Images of the men working in the fields Point of View- 1st person Details-Details are included about the speaker’s father and grandfather’s profession and his current activity Allusions-Possible reference to the handworkers in the Irish Potato Famine Symbolism- “I’ll dig with it.” Is symbolism for the speaker deciding to work hard in his own work/calling Figurative Language- N/A Other Devices-Alliteration, repetition, and understatement

TPCASTT-cont. Attitude-The speaker’s attitude is contemplative and observant. The author is calm and also contemplative. Shifts-A shift happens before the last stanza. The poem becomes more serious and helps bring the poem back to the present. Title- The title, “Digging”, can be taken at it’s denotative meaning-that the poem is centered around digging, but it can also be thought of as a reference to the speaker “digging” for a purpose or for memories. Theme- The theme of this poem is farming vs. writing, family ties, and work.