Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney
Blackberry-Picking
BY S E AM US H E AN E Y
for Philip Hobsbaum
Late August, given heavy rain and sun
For a full week, the blackberries would ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
Among others, red, green, hard as a knot.
You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet
Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it
Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for
Picking. Then red ones inked up and that hunger
Sent us out with milk cans, pea tins, jam-pots
Where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boot
Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills
We trekked and picked until the cans were full,
Until the tinkling bottom had been covered
With green ones, and on top big dark blobs burned
Like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered
With thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard's.
We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.
But when the bath was filled we found a fur,
A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.
The juice was stinking too. Once off the bush
The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.
I always felt like crying. It wasn't fair
That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.
Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.
One of the famous poems by Seamus Heaney in which autobiographical elements are very much present. A poem which was published in his collection Death of a Naturalist, " Blackberry Picking" is more a psychological poem than a mere narrative one. Almost like the binary in Blake, Heaney's "Blackberry Picking" accentuates a journey from innocence to experience, from fanciful ambitions to life's dull drab path of struggle.
In the poem, there is very much a journey motif. A movement to grow up gradually with an experience of shattered dreams, the speaker goes ahead to capture new horizons hitherto unknown.
Blackberry-Picking is a poem that contrasts childhood with adulthood and explores the disappointments and the tension that ensue. This poem raises the question of preservation and possibility of preserving the truth as it is.
ReplyDeleteThe blackberries,like fragments of events,can't be faithfully preserved without forceful formation. The poet demonstrates his will to keep trying no matter what: "Each year I hope they had keep,knew they would not".
Heaney's use of metaphor "summer's blood" and the instance of pulling out any obtainable container to collect their fruit, acquaints the happening madness for the sweet juice. Every year, the speaker hoped the blackberries would stay fresh, even though they knew this was not possible. Hence the seasonal trip of blackberry picking is very much like that of the 'digging ' exercise, repetitive and circular.
The mature reflection in the second stanza is poignant - the summer blood eventually cools, ripe berries go off, the natural cycles cannot be denied.
Seamus Heaney's tone is conversational and intimate, and always there's the rich,wholesome texture of his language, with alliteration and the other devices to further enhance the lines.
----------- Shubhankita Das
Contains with two stanzas, Seamus Heaney's "Blackberry Picking" is a metaphorical poem about the memories of childhood and the experience of adulthood. The title " Blackberry Picking", itself is metaphorical as it depicts a seemingly innocent childhood memory of picking blackberries and at the same time, it also suggests the desires and expectations from the grim reality of the youth.
ReplyDeleteIn the first stanza, the ripening of the berries is similar to the journey from childhood to adulthood. "summer’s blood" suggests the death of summer, as well as the death of childhood and "Leaving stains upon the tongue", seems to suggest cheerful memories of childhood. At the same time "lust for/ Picking" evokes a kind of sensual desire. The unripe berries became ripe, gaining a dark colour like ink and the blackberry pickers went outside with their various containers for picking and into the bushes, which scratched them while the wet grass left marks on their boots. "our palms sticky as Bluebeard's" again shows a kind of adult's action,
In the second stanza, "rat-grey fungus" is the sign of rot and decay. The berries, which they stocked in the byre, start to rot even after their best efforts at preservation and the juice starts smelling sour. It's always disappointing for the speaker, who always hopes that all the berries will keep, even though he knows they will rot.
However, by describing childhood disappointment from an adult's outlook, the speaker is further able to establish an acceptance of the fact that life is filled with loss and disappointment. The speaker is no longer the child who "always felt like crying." The speaker is no longer hold the innocent hope of the child who "hoped they'd keep, knew they would not."
The main theme of many of Heaney's poems is growing up. Growing up is about reconciling ourselves, with our hopes and expectations, to the realities of the world, and "Blackberry Picking" addresses the same.Seamus Heaney's "Blackberry Picking" is one of the greatest twentieth-century poems about disappointment or about that moment in our youth when we realise that things will never live up to our high expectations.
ReplyDeleteThis poem is divided into two stanzas. The first stanza focuses on the picking of the blackberries and the speaker's memories of the experience of picking them, eating them and taking them home. The second stanza then reflects on what happened once the blackberries had been hoarded in a bath placed in 'byre' or shed.
The speaker kept alive the spirit of optimism even in the face of life's bitter realities. This poem suggests that youth's hopeful optimism is about 'tasting' life more generally. Here Heaney hints at the deeper significance of the act without, as it were, laying it on with a trowel. This poem helped to make Seamus Heaney a success almost overnight, along with other poems in his first volume.
--- Tanmay Paul
Each poem poured down by the passionate poet Seamus Heaney is , no doubt , so full of intensity and emotions . Each of it triggers a kind of spell and a yearn of going back into those gone days into the mind of the reader .
ReplyDeleteThe poem "Blackberry Picking" is , seemingly , a very intense one . And we can say by looking at the title of the poem and by reading the same , that the poem is not that much limited in its theme of just talking about picking up Blackberries . There must be something more in it than it seems . As Heaney is the poet of the rural Ireland , so it is very natural of him to include rurality in his poem . But it also may be that he , by way of using symbols , tries to bury his more intense ideas in his poem and privileges the reader to dig it out .
As it seems to me , the word 'Blackberry' in the poem "Blackberry Picking" can symbolically be paralleled to the word 'Memory' . Here the poet , I'd like to think , talks of picking up memories , instead of just blackberries , throughout his life , from childhood to boyhood , from boyhood to adulthood .
We all know that our memories are full of various kinds : passionate , simple , lustful , sober , sensual , cheerful , nostalgic etc. Sometimes from our own familiar memories , we can suddenly get a feeling of uncanny if an abrupt sense of mismatch suddenly pops up in front of us . These various kinds of memories are so much conspicuous in Heaney's poems .
©️bikramchowdhury
The poem BlackBerry Picking by Seamus Heaney, is one of his marvelous work where he shows the journey of life by comparing it with his childhood memory of blackberry picking... In this poem Heaney describes his childhood days which we all can similarly relate , here Heaney uses metaphors , and shared with us his childhood days ,when he used to picking blackberry in the late August , when the summer is of his edge. Heaney also said that the taste of the blackberry was sweet , as the memories of the childhood of one's life, next he said that it leaves it's stains upon the tongue which also means in our life though we aged or not but the memories of childhood days is always stays in our heart like a stain , next he said that after having one he lust for another one ,which tells us about our adulthood ,
ReplyDeleteThe poem itself reflect the complete journey of one's life , where the childhood days were most precious one and from where we begin to start our journey forward adulthood,
In childhood days Heaney used to carry big jug and pot to take barries,, and still he crave for his childhood days to come as we crave for it.....
*Moumita Deb*
The poem "Blackberry Picking" apparently seems to be very simple where the poet is just remembering one of his childhood memories but after reading it thoroughly one can get the deepest thoughts,hidden in it.No doubt the poem represents how life itself in its journey gives us lessons which help us to be experienced but sadly by losing our innocence to some extent.
ReplyDeleteI think 'Blackberry' here is not merely a fruit but represents the sweet sour memories of our childhood days and the poet has chosen the berry to be black ...may be….as often we like to represent our past days with the black colour.
In childhood days we all might have experienced the joy of picking up fruits and also experienced the disappointment of not being able to enjoy all the picked ones.But now being mature enough we can understand that it is not only about fruits...but about our life.The disappointment of not being able to enjoy the happy moments forever ...at least the ones which we thought to be "perfect".Every moment comes and then goes away...gives us pleasure or may be pain...or may be both. The happy moments of our past…..become teary ones…..because it is certain that we can't live those moments once again though in the attire of memories they always remain with us.
The poem also represents the journey of our life.Despite all the disappointments we continue to make new memories knowing that they are not forever. And not always but we at least learn to live in the moment.The last line of the poem suggests this non stop journey of our life.
"…. I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not."
Durba Sarkar...
The poem "Blackberry picking " written by Irish poet seamus heaney is a symbolical poem, containing deep meaning of life. In addition, this poem is metaphorical poem which is proved effectively by the various products of the prodigious minds of poet, I anticipate. In this poem ,the poet describes seemingly sweet childhood memories of picking blackberries in summer. Growing up and getting older goes hand in hand with a loss of childhood innocence. From the adult point of view, the speaker lays bare the childhood memory. This childhood memory is depicted with the knowledge of a person who is aware of transience of youth,who no longer possesses childhood innocence and who is well acquainted with life's inevitable disappointment.
ReplyDeleteBlackberry is a kind of fruit which is tasty, no doubt and children, referred to by the poet are extremely exciting, enthusiastic, vibrant. They feel a moment of joy with thrill in doing little nameless acts of blackberry picking. They travel and explore to the field to pick and pluck and stockpile and store the berries. It is appropriate to say that geographical climate plays a vital role in ripening the berries. Some berries are not worthy of eating which are tight and green and some berries are worthy of eating which is red and ripen. Basically this poem is a journey from innocence to experience who grows up through tears ,frustrated memories. We notice that the poet feels disappointed and dejected when he realised that the fruits are getting rotten which he wanted to make fresh and vivid forever. The sweetness of fruit is vanished and it becomes sour. The fruits are fermented. So the poet felt almost crying.
In my opinion, the poem reminds us that we are the hunters and gatherers of values. Heaney's poem teaches us to keep swimming up into the air of envisaged possibilities. There is no doubt that Heaney is master of metaphors. So he guides us to plunge into uncertain world for discovering the consequence of situation between earthly origin and angelic potentials though his poem. If we don't read the poems like "Blackberry picking" ,we wouldn't be able to realise that " the shake of a butterfly's wing in one part of the world is going to produce a tornado in another ".
Sandipan Roy
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe poem "Blackberry picking " written by Irish poet seamus heaney is a symbolical poem, containing deep meaning of life. In addition, this poem is metaphorical poem which is proved effectively by the various products of the prodigious minds of poet, I anticipate. In this poem ,the poet describes seemingly sweet childhood memories of picking blackberries in summer. Growing up and getting older goes hand in hand with a loss of childhood innocence. From the adult point of view, the speaker lays bare the childhood memory. This childhood memory is depicted with the knowledge of a person who is aware of transience of youth,who no longer possesses childhood innocence and who is well acquainted with life's inevitable disappointment.
ReplyDeleteBlackberry is a kind of fruit which is tasty, no doubt and children, referred to by the poet are extremely exciting, enthusiastic, vibrant. They feel a moment of joy with thrill in doing little nameless acts of blackberry picking. They travel and explore to the field to pick and pluck and stockpile and store the berries. It is appropriate to say that geographical climate plays a vital role in ripening the berries. Some berries are not worthy of eating which are tight and green and some berries are worthy of eating which is red and ripen. Basically this poem is a journey from innocence to experience who grows up through tears ,frustrated memories. We notice that the poet feels disappointed and dejected when he realised that the fruits are getting rotten which he wanted to make fresh and vivid forever. The sweetness of fruit is vanished and it becomes sour. The fruits are fermented. So the poet felt almost crying.
In my opinion, the poem reminds us that we are the hunters and gatherers of values. Heaney's poem teaches us to keep swimming up into the air of envisaged possibilities. There is no doubt that Heaney is master of metaphors. So he guides us to plunge into uncertain world for discovering the consequence of situation between earthly origin and angelic potentials though his poem. If we don't read the poems like "Blackberry picking" ,we wouldn't be able to realise that " the shake of a butterfly's wing in one part of the world is going to produce a tornado in another ".
Sandipan Roy
"Blackberry Picking" is one of the best poems of the Irish poet, Seamus Heaney. The main theme of the poem is Growing Up. In the first stanza, the poet expresses his childhood days. The poet says that he awaits for picking blackberries. He tells us about its taste, its smell and also its colour. Then in the second stanza, we see what happens after the blackberries have been picked and stored by the byre and in the last stanza, we see the blackberries are rotten. In this time, we see that the poet feels disappointment. From this poem we find a good lesson by the hand of the poet. In our childhood days, life is very easy as the poet says, we think everything is possible but after growing up we see the reality. We find all things are not possible to us and " Blackberry Picking " addresses the theme.
ReplyDeleteArpita Saha
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ReplyDeleteIn "Blackberry Picking" by Seamus Heaney, the poet seems to explore childhood memories from an adult's perspective.By exploring, the poet presents a clear picture of a man's journey from innocence to experience.As we are in our childhood,we are full of innocence but while growing up ,we no longer possess this childhood innocence, and is gradually acquainted with life's inevitable disappointments
ReplyDeleteThe poem "Blackberry Picking" is also very symbolic.This experience of blackberry picking also serves as an extended metaphor for the tempestuous process of growing up.As the environment which is a mixture of both "heavy rain and sun" is needed for the blackberries to ripen,in a similar way,both the heavy rain and sun that is both good and bad of life help people to grow and mature just like the blackberries.The very title of this poem also seems to indicate that by picking blackberries,the poet is picking up his own experiences of the realities of life which starts with the taste of a "sweet" berry that is childhood and ends in "lovely canfuls smelt of rot" mirroring the natural decay that eventually comes with aging that is in adulthood.
After going through this poem deeply, the very thought of the poet seems to present how people come to dedicate themselves to life's disappointments as they grow up. Although both are inevitable and natural,it is bittersweet as the innocence of childhood gives way to the wisdom of adulthood.The process of change is not a calm one,the poem implies, but the poem also suggests that this adult wisdom itself may be a reward of sorts. Accepting these inevitabilities instead of mourning them is one way to make peace with the harsh reality of life.
Mst Najela khatun
Seamus Heaney's Blackberry picking is an metaphorical representation of the transience of pleasure of all kinds. The poem is a representation of "a fall from innocence into experience" and is about "a child's unhappy recognition of the laws of mutability"- Michael Parker, Seamus Heaney:The Making of a Poet.
ReplyDeleteFrom the title of the poem it seems straightforward. But of course 'Blackberry-Picking' is not just about the literal experience of picking blackberries.The poem holds the theme of reconciling ourselves with own hopes and expectations to the realities.Tasting of blackberries metaphorically suggests an youth's hopeful optimism about experiencing 'life'. The essence of the fleshes of such blackberries and lust for picking them up, evokes a sense of sexual desire.
Heaney's use of metaphor "summer's blood" and the instance of pulling out any obtainable container to collect their fruit, acquaints the happening madness for the sweet juice. They had to travell so far, beyond the fields to pick the berries.The adhesive red juice of the berries on speaker's hands is like the blood of the tale of Bluebeard's who had a habit of slaying his wives. Another instance of ferocious tone take place in the phrase "a plate of eyes".
In second stanza, the speaker's excitement turns into a realistic approach. He realizes that the blackberries can be fermented and these also gather fungus and smell rotten.Even the lustrous sweet flesh turns sour. Consequently, they feel like crying.
While reading this poem, I felt that Heaney shows how much they could have been fascinated and could get emotional,childishly by the blackberries. The interpretation of life changes with the maturity of the observer's mind.Through 'Blackberry-picking' the poet may had an attempt to uphold this variable observations about our life.
--- Subhadip Barman
Through the title of the poem " Blackberry Picking," Seamus Heaney not only shares with us the childhood incidents but also shows the real meaning of life.
ReplyDeleteThough apparently, it seems that the poem deals with the memory of childhood and adulthood experiences but it is pregnant with full of symbols. The ripen blackberry refers to the experienced one and the stain on the tongue seems the wonderful memories of childhood.
The poet wants to express through the poem that life is like both sides of a coin. Like a coin, we have easy and at the same time also difficulties in life. So never give up just feel every moment of life.
- Sneha Debnath.
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ReplyDeleteBeing a son of a farmer , Seamus Heaney filled his poetry with images of the natural world, and this poem, “Blackberry Picking” is no exception.
ReplyDelete"Blackberry-Picking" provides an adult point of view on a childhood memory. The speaker is grown up and reflecting on the process of blackberry-picking, a seasonal event that the speaker experienced annually (every August) throughout the speaker's childhood. In describing the event and the disappointment it resulted in every year when the blackberries rotted, the speaker reveals a defining moment of childhood, the realization that life is marred by loss and accompanying disappointment.
Blackberries are ripening, a process that can be compared to a child maturing (people are often said to "ripen with age"). The time at which the poem is set indicates a point of seasonal change, comparable to the transition from childhood to adolescence.
The "thickened wine" and "summer's blood" referenced in Line 6 functions as a religious symbol and an allusion to the Christian tradition of celebrating Holy Communion. The allusion to Bluebeard at the end of the first stanza symbolizes the children's lust and greed.
At last, Every year, the speaker hoped the blackberries would stay fresh, even though they knew this was not possible. Here the poet wants to enjoy the joys and innocence of childhood, but the poet mourns because while illustrating that ultimately this joyful period of life can not be everlasting.
@ -----MAMUN ROSHID
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe poem"Blackberry -Picking" deals about childhood memories and its trustworthiness. Though simple and straightforward pastoral poem in nature but his aims in a direction that is actually not that simple and straightforward. Countryside life and childhood, as Heaney speaks about in "Blackberry -Picking", have centers that is worth visiting and probing time and again.In this process,we have witnessed his physical growth as well as his poetic growth from an innocent state to a mature one who can cope with conflicts and uncertainties :'Each year I hope they had keep,knew that they would not'.Hence he never falters to hold the importance of keeping trying.
ReplyDeleteThe poem " Blackberry Picking " depicts a seemingly innocent childhood memory of picking blackberries in August. Written from an adult's perspective, the poem uses this experience of picking blackberries and watching them spoil as an extended metaphor for the painful process of growing up and losing childhood innocence.
ReplyDeleteHeaney's main message is "nothing's permanent, and we never get used to it" .Heaney's tone begins jovial and light but ends sad and dark. Blackberries have multiple layers of meaning across religious, ethnic and mythological realms. The deep color of the berries represents Christ's blood. However, the poet indicates that life does not always leave us with great memories or experiences.
Sometimes, what we treasure is lost, or decayed in some way, and is not as beautiful to us as it once first was. This is indicated in this line concerning the plump blackberries that were picked :
" That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot,
Each year I hoped they'd keep knew they would not"
The poem is a metaphor on living life to the fullest and not wanting anything of beauty and wonder in life to fade away. The theme of the poem is "tasting the richness of life" ,just as one tastes the richness of a fully- ripened blackberry.
~~~~SUSHMITA GHOSH
The poem Blackberry picking appeared in seamus Heaney's first volume of poem 'Death of Naturalist '.The main theme of the poem in this volume is growing up.Growing up is about reconciling ourselves with our hopes and expectation, to the realities of world and 'Blackberry picking' addresses this theme.
ReplyDeleteThe poem seems to concentrate upon the memories of Heaney's childhood.He recalls the annual experience of picking the wild fruit in late summer.Metaphorically it is about the loss of innocence and transience of experience.
'Blackberry Picking' is divided into two stanzas.The first focuses on the picking of blackberries and the speaker memories of the experience of picking them, eating them and taking them at home.The second stanza reflects on what happened once the blackberries had been hoarded in a bath placed in a 'bytes' and 'shed'.The speaker recalls the sense of disappointment he and his fellow blackberry picker felt when they discover that the berries are farmented and fungus were growing on the fruits.He says that this made him sad and he come to realise that would always happen, soon after the berries had been picked they would go rotten.
Heaney wrote the poem in iambic pentametre which means each line contain five feet with two syllable each.The poem follows a set of rhyme scheme of aa bb cc etc
Ruafsana parvin
After reading Heaney's poems, we can find out a connection between his poems . In his poetry, he is quite personal as well as a deep thinker about life that one can see his own life through his poetry .
ReplyDeleteJust like "Personal Helicon" the poet shares his childhood memories through the poem "Picking Blackberry". He gives a complete picture of picking black berries that we can visualize the scene. In Summer black berries are ripe and it takes it's color.Then berries which are sweet and fresh pick up. The speaker could not control himself to eat them because of it's taste . After eating them, it leaves a purple layer on tongue of the speaker's. Berries are harvested and filled out in tin containers. The berries were on the top of trees still remain on there. It catches the eyes of on lookers.
After harvesting it will be in the stockpiled inside the bath. After a few days it started to ferment and it's taste turn sweet into sour.The speaker hoped that it will remain unchanged just like he thought that he can execute his plan about his doings before year is going to start. But that would not happen.
The poem is not only about memories but it is a journey from childhood to adulthood.In childhood we felt that everything would be sweetened and easy to grab it. While growing up things will be changed unknowingly like sweet black berries turn into sour and rotten as innocent of childhood is decreased by the adulthood.
Aloka Singha
The author of open ground-Seamus Heaney's poem 'Blackberry-Picking' for his friend Philip Hobsbaun is found in his first collection 'Death of a Naturalist'.Apparently, the poem is a description of picking blackberries with all its procedures. But by going through a deep analysis we can find not only the taste of blackberries but also the taste of nostalgia. The poem itself is a journey from childhood's innocence to the harsh reality of hardened adulthood. The different stages of blackberries may represent the different shades of our life. In 'Late August' by going through the natural nourishment the blackberries become 'ripen' (just like we become grown-up). Here we also find a little reference to the Eucharist. Though the journey of the blackberry pickers Is not a smooth one, they have to go through those 'scratched' and 'thorn pricks' which is also applicable for a living mind. In addition here we find the significant reference of a murderer- Bluebeard. It may explore the concept of resurrection as the end of our childhood declares the beginning of our adulthood.
ReplyDeleteInline number eighteen when the child is in the gang of berry-pickers become aware of the 'rat-grey fungus' on the blackberries, a sure sign of rot and decay, a hallmark of passing time. As a result, the juices turn sour and the life with it. All the hard work ends up a waste. The idealistic hope of the child being stretched to the limit by the process in nature. That hope persists despite everything, "Each year I hoped they'd keep, ..." but the reality is the ultimate winner- "knew they would not" and this disappointment makes the poet "felt like crying".
Heaney's poem is so lively that we can see and feel all the description of picking blackberries. Though the poem has been written in a very simple language it preaches us the real wisdom of our life. From that point of view, the poem is very much philosophical.
Sreyashi Bhattacharyya
The poem "Blackberry-Picking" is a recollection of poet Seamus Heaney's childhood memories. The theme of growing up is recurrent in his poems. The speaker here recalls his childhood days of 'blackberry-picking'. The picturesque depiction of speaker's childhood in the poem takes us back to our childhood also. We took the same adventurous journey through our memories like the poet and it is at this point the poem becomes universal.
ReplyDeleteThe poem opens with a description of rainy August days when they used to pick up 'ripen' blackberries. The poet quite symbolically used his childhood memories to give us a sense of life, its bitter, sweet and sour experiences. The phrases like "rat-grey fungus", "smelt of rot", stinking juice, fermented fruits all in someway or the other represent the disappointments of a well imagined life. The poem also shows how the speaker optimistically encounters the disappointments of life as in the last line he says,
"Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew the would not."
- Sriparna Datta
Blackberry Picking by Seamus Heaney, it was first published in 1966 in his book " Death of a Naturalist". The poem devided into two stanzas. Blackberry Picking is about greed, growing up, how we struggle in life and how pleasure can be taken away from us very quickly. Heaney writes respectively, about time he as a child would go blackberry picking every year, as a metaphor these experience.
ReplyDeleteThe poet speaks about a young boy who goes to the blackberry field to pick them. It also explains the speaker's idea about life. The poem is about a simple event of blackberries picking on a late summer day. The speaker immerses himself in the aesthetic world of a late summer, time to pick juicy blackberries. He provides an enchanting picture of the field where purple, green, and red berries are attracting his attention. After tasting the purple berries, a yearns of for more.
The poem sets the scene in late August, a time of year marked by transformation. Blackberries are ripening, a process that can be compared to a child maturing. The time to which the poem is set indicates a point of seasonal change. Comparable to the transition from childhood to adolescence. The reference to "summer's blood" also highlights the death of childhood, and the subsequent start of the harvest season. The poem itself then describes an act of harvest, which starts with the taste of "sweet" berry and ends in "lovely canfuls smelt of rot" mirroring the natural decay that eventually comes with aging.
After analysing this poem, it has defiantly depend my thoughts, and I've come to a conclusion that this poem is really about hope and disappointment and we should accept that nothing is eternal in this world, changes are due to happen in time, and blackberries become a metaphor for the experiences.
Tonushri Murmu
Seamus Heaney's ‘Blackberry-Picking’ is like a mirage to the contemplative minds of the readers. The poet metaphorically presents a clash between the excitements and the disappointments of life by exemplifying the naive task of picking blackberries. The poem is a representation of "a fall from innocence into experience" and is about "a child's unhappy recognition of the laws of mutability"- Michael Parker, Seamus Heaney: The Making of a Poet.
ReplyDeleteFrom the title of the poem, it seems straightforward. But of course, 'Blackberry-Picking' is not just about the literal experience of picking blackberries. The poem holds the theme of reconciling ourselves with our hopes and expectations to the realities. The tasting of blackberries metaphorically suggests a youth's hopeful optimism about experiencing 'life'. The essence of the fleshes of such blackberries and lust for picking them up, evokes a sense of sexual desire.
Heaney's use of the metaphor "summer's blood" and the instance of pulling out any obtainable container to collect their fruit, acquaints the happening madness for the sweet juice. They had to travel so far, beyond the fields to pick the berries. The adhesive red juice of the berries on the speaker's hands is like the blood of the tale of Bluebeard's who had a habit of slaying his wives. Another instance of ferocious tone takes place in the phrase "a plate of eyes".
In the second stanza, the speaker's excitement turns into a realistic approach. He realizes that the blackberries can be fermented and these also gather fungus and smell rotten. Even the lustrous sweet flesh turns sour. Consequently, they feel like crying.
Heaney shows how much they could have been fascinated and could get emotional, childishly by the blackberries in those days of childhood. The interpretation of life changes with the maturity of the observer's mind. Through 'Blackberry-picking' the poet may have an attempt to uphold these variable observations about our life.
--- Subhadip Barman
Seamus Heaney's poem "Blackberry picking " depicts a seemingly innocent childhood memory of picking blackberries in late August. The poem uses this background of picking blackberries and watching them ruin as an extended metaphor for the painful process of growing up and losing childhood innocence.
ReplyDeleteThe first stanza focuses on the picking of the blackberries and the speaker's memories of the experience of picking them, eating them, and taking them home. The second stanza then indicates what happened once the blackberries had been hoarded in a bath placed in a 'byre'. The speaker reminds the knowledge of disappointment he and his fellow blackberry-pickers felt when they discovered that the berries had fermented and a fungus was growing on the fruit. He says that this made him upset, and he came to realise that this would always happen: soon after the berries had been picked,they would go rotten.
On one level, the blackberries in the poem represent both youth and the loss of the youth. The relatively violent impact that the blackberries have on the blackberry pickers signifies the hardships that come with growing up and getting old. Life makes its impression on people as they come to see the disappointments and losses it brings. Again, the blackberries make their impression as their " briars scratched " the pickers' hands, leaving their hands, "peppered/With thorn pricks."
------- Mou Sarkar