A Call Flashcards
Conversation. Typical Irish mention of the weather. Relaxed conversation, homely, authentic, informal, real.
“I’ll just run out and get him.
The weather here’s so good he took the chance
To do a bit of weeding.”
Simple, short line. Easy to imagine what his father was doing, something he had been doing all of his life.
So I saw him
Heaney’s father’s care and precision when he works with plants. Thorough inspection to ensure all is ok. Very experienced in the job, knows what to do and look for
Touching, inspecting, separating one
Stalk from the other, gently pulling up
Everything not tapered, frail and leafless
Pleased to do his job yet filled with regret also at the that he must cause the death of a living thing, even if it is only a plant, a weed even. A soft-hearted and caring man
Pleased to feel each little weed-root break,
But rueful also…
The impression of time passing as a heavy omen upon the world. Heaney’s father getting older with his own clock ticking down on his life (poem dedicated to his father Patrick and it was one of his last calls with him before his death)
The amplified grave ticking of halls clocks
Silent, calm, tranquil, peaceful image. Reflection of the sun brightening the scene and adding a golden tinge to it. The imagery of reflecting objects perhaps a metaphor for Heaney himself reflecting on his father’s life. Pendulums on a clock also a reference to time ticking away
Where the phone lay unattended in a calm
Of mirror glass and sunstruck pendulums…
Reference to story of Death and Everyman. Everyman represents human kind and can only bring one other with him and only Good Deeds is willing to go with Everyman. Heaney saying this would be a great way for death to claim someone; doing what they love in a place they love. Perhaps a reference to the call being like a call from Death
This is how Death would summon Everyman
An air of regret tinged with sorrow. Men expressing their feelings was not popular at this time (stereotype). Heaney wished he told his father about his affections for him, but instead he let the excuse of conversation act as an obstacle
Next thing he spoke and I nearly said I loved him.
