Structure and form

Question 1

How does Heaney use Blank verse

Answer 1

Heaney chooses to adopt blank verse
throughout the poem. Perhaps he is trying
to subvert traditional English poetic
structure.

Question 2

How does Heaney use no rhyme or structure

Answer 2

The poem has an irregular 19 line stanza
and a lack of rhyme. Again, perhaps
reflecting Heaney’s resistance against
traditional poetic structures.

Question 3

How does Heaney use a conversational tone

Answer 3

At some points, Heaney injects a casual
conversational tone with ‘as you can see’
and ‘you know what I mean’. It is almost
as if Heaney is playing around with poetic
structures and challenging the
conventions.