Anahorish - A poem by Seamus Heaney

Seamus Heaney - Anahorish

My "place of clear water,"
the first hill in the world
where springs washed into
the shiny grass

and darkened cobbles
in the bed of the lane.
Anahorish, soft gradient
of consonant, vowel-meadow,

after-image of lamps
swung through the yards
on winter evenings.
With pails and barrows

those mound-dwellers
go waist-deep in mist
to break the light ice
at wells and dunghills.

Added: on May 18th, 2006 at 8:13 AM | Viewed: 1852 times | Comments (4)

Anahorish - Comments and Information
Poet: Seamus Heaney Poem: Anahorish Year: Published/Written in 1987 Comment 4 of 4, added on July 19th, 2006 at 7:32 PM. In this magnificent poem thee is an opposition being enacted. If on the one hand the place is of clear water, it darkens the stones. It seems that the knowledge this very first school Heaney has attended, has been helpful in some ways, but daring in other ways. I believe this is why he repeats this theme in some of his other poems Viviane Oak from Brazil Comment 3 of 4, added on June 6th, 2006 at 8:44 AM. Anahorish the placename of a small rural area in South Derry in the North of Ireland. It borders Moss Bawn where Seamus Heaney was born and it was the first hill on his horizon. Seamus Heaney did attend Annahorish Primary School but it is the place Anahorish that the poem is written about. The placename means "place of clear/excellent water" Malachy Gribbin from Ireland Comment 2 of 4, added on May 18th, 2006 at 8:13 AM. Anahorish school was not a boarding school as I went there for 7 years!! The name Anahorish means hill of spring water in the Irish language. The underground springs can be heard clearly in certain parts of the area. Nadine from United Kingdom More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Anahorish, has received 4 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Seamus Heaney with others on the Poetry Connection poetry forum!

Poem Info
Anahorish Year: Published/Written in 1987 Last read: 2008-07-04 21:39:21 Viewed 1852 times. Added on May 18th, 2006 at 8:13 AM.

Heaney Info
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