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In his famous poem “Digging”, Seamus Heaney, a prominent Irish poet writes about his poetic potentiality to “dig” his name in the golden pages of literary canon. The poet wants to follow his ancestral tradition unconventionally. Sitting at his writing desk, the poet observes his father’s “digging”. Basically the poet also wants to “dig”—but with the “pen” instead of fore-fathers’ “spade”. The poet resolves to “dig” the emotions, passions experiences and the spontaneity of life through the intellectual break through to gain “something of real value”. The poet acknowledges that he has “no spade to follow men like them” but he has his “squat pen”— the symbol of poetic spontaneity. There is an inherent tone of independence and determination while the poet connects the ancestral tradition to the present. The poet reconciles his inner conflict within himself—following his own path. Being strong in his root, he attempts to break the tradition. Instead of being ashamed for the fore-fathers, he feels proud— immortalizes their profession through his poetic potentiality. Heaney weaves his poetic tone through his brilliant use of simple diction and striking imageries.

Inner-conflict, digging, traditions, passion, dream