This poem reflects on a memory of peeling potatoes with his mother while others were at mass. Small splashes from their work would bring them back to their senses in the intimate moment. As the priest attended to his dying mother, the speaker remembers their closeness while peeling potatoes, never feeling closer for the rest of their lives.
This poem reflects on a memory of peeling potatoes with his mother while others were at mass. Small splashes from their work would bring them back to their senses in the intimate moment. As the priest attended to his dying mother, the speaker remembers their closeness while peeling potatoes, never feeling closer for the rest of their lives.
Original Description:
Poetry
Original Title
Heaney - When all the others were away at Mass questions
This poem reflects on a memory of peeling potatoes with his mother while others were at mass. Small splashes from their work would bring them back to their senses in the intimate moment. As the priest attended to his dying mother, the speaker remembers their closeness while peeling potatoes, never feeling closer for the rest of their lives.
This poem reflects on a memory of peeling potatoes with his mother while others were at mass. Small splashes from their work would bring them back to their senses in the intimate moment. As the priest attended to his dying mother, the speaker remembers their closeness while peeling potatoes, never feeling closer for the rest of their lives.
I was all hers as we peeled potatoes. They broke the silence, let fall one by one Like solder weeping off the soldering iron: Cold comforts set between us, things to share Gleaming in a bucket of clean water. And again let fall. Little pleasant splashes From each other’s work would bring us to our senses.
So while the parish priest at her bedside
Went hammer and tongs at the prayers for the dying And some were responding and some were crying I remembered her head bent towards my head, Her breath in mine, our fluent dipping knives - Never closer the whole rest of our lives.
by Seamus Heaney
1. This poem deals with a number of important themes such as:
love family ordinary life death
Rank these themes from 1-4 in order of importance, where 1 is the most important theme of this poem in your opinion and 4 is the least important theme.
Write a paragraph in your copybook explaining your choice.
2. What do you think is the main message Seamus Heaney would like the reader to take from this poem?
3. This poem contains examples of the following techniques:
