Digging - Seamus Heaney

The poet feels his pen fits in his hand extremely well.

• The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.

• When the spade sinks into the gravelly ground.

• Against the inside knee was levered firmly.

He hears the sound of the spade as his father digs.

• The coarse boot nestled on the lug.

• Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods.

• a clean rasping sound

  When the spade sinks into gravelly ground:

The poet describes how his father had good rhythm when digging potatoes.

• Against the inside knee was levered firmly.

• Stooping in rhythm through potato drills

  Where he was digging.

• The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap.

The poet describes exactly how his dad used to position himself to use the spade.

• Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds

  Bends low, comes up twenty years away

• The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft

  Against the inside knee was levered firmly.

• He straightened up

  To drink it, then fell to right away...

The poet is impressed with his father's skill with a spade.

• The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap

  Of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge.

• By God, the old man could handle a spade.

  Just like his old man.

• Between my finger and my thumb

  The squat pen rests.

• I'll dig with it.

Choose a line from the poem that shows when poet realises that he will only be able to write and use his pen.

Choose a line from the poem that shows that the poet knows he will never be able to follow in his father and grandfather's footsteps.