However, it is through this simple, insignificant incident, the speaker conveys a significant lesson that things never work out as per your expectations. Unfortunately, the blackberries are getting rotten with their resultant agony and disappointment. They gather as many blackberries as they can to enjoy their sweetness for a long time. At first, the children are vibrant, enthusiastic, and excited about the activity they perform to satisfy their greed. The speaker has beautifully presented the children’s innocent nature in contrast to the bitter realities of life. Major Themes in “Blackberry-Picking”: Growing up, greed, man versus nature, and disappointment are the major themes underlined in this literary piece.He feels sad as every year he decides to preserve them, he fails. Their sweet juice turned into sour, and their glossy surface was sticky. He is disappointed to discover that the blackberries which he hoarded were rotting. Unfortunately, his happiness is brief and short-lived. He is simply picking and hoarding them without considering consequences. He is unaware of the technicalities and the process of picking and keeping these blackberries. Filled with childish nature and innocence, the speaker starts picking the berries using various containers like jam pots, pea tins, and milk cans. His friends pushed him to pick as many blackberries as they can. After tasting the purple berries, a yearns for more. He provides an enchanting picture of the field where purple, green, and red berries are attracting his attention. The speaker immerses himself in the enthusiastic world of late summer, a time to pick juicy blackberries. “Blackberry-Picking” As a Representative of Life: The poem is about a simple event of blackberries picking on a late summer day.It also explains the speaker’s ideas about life. The poem speaks about a young boy who goes to the blackberry field to pick them. It was first published in 1966 in his book Death of Naturalist. It is a thought-provoking poem about disappointment and joy. Popularity of “Blackberry-Picking”: Seamus Heaney, a great Irish poet and playwright, wrote ‘Blackberry-Picking’.That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.Įach year I hoped they’d keep, knew they would not. The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour. We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.īut when the bath was filled we found a fur,Ī rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache. With thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard’s. With green ones, and on top big dark blobs burned Until the tinkling bottom had been covered We trekked and picked until the cans were full, Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills Where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots. Sent us out with milk cans, pea tins, jam-pots Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for Like thickened wine: summer’s blood was in it You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet For a full week, the blackberries would ripen.Īmong others, red, green, hard as a knot.
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