Blackberry Picking
Blackberry-picking, by Seamus Heaney – Analysis Notes
Themes
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At its most superficial level, the poem can be seen to concern itself with a recognition of the
process of nature, as the blackberries grow before ultimately decaying.
The poem addresses the idea of the transitory nature of pleasure (how good things do not last),
relating it to a familiar childhood experience of blackberry-picking in order to express it. Heaney
explores the temptations children experience and often greedily pursue. He is warning about the
excesses of greed and pursuing pleasure – actions which have negative consequences such as
guilt and regret. He is indicating that this is a natural and inevitable lesson children must learn.
Additionally, the poem can be seen to be a celebration of the joys and innocence of childhood,
while illustrating that ultimately this joyful period of life cannot last and must soon give into adult
realism.
Another interpretation is of Heaney’s disillusionment with the agricultural lifestyle and a desire to do
something more with his life, as well as his sense of guilt about feeling this way. The blackberries of
the poem can be view as an extended metaphor for the agricultural lifestyle: Heaney initially
enjoys the rural life as a child (as can be seen by the vivid excitement associated with the
blackberry-picking in the opening stanza), but he gradually becomes disillusioned by it (as can be
seen in the second stanza when the blackberries begin to decay.
Structure
The structure of the poem as a whole is very clearly divided into two sections, each having a separate
stanza:
 First stanza – Heaney describes his enthusiasm for picking blackberries, from tasting the first
blackberry of the season to the frenzy of excitement as he and his friends pick them.
 Second stanza – Heaney describes how his attitude towards the berries changes into one of
revulsion as the berries decay.
Rhyme Scheme
 The poem is written in half-rhymes (i.e. the consonants are similar but the vowels are not).
Narrative Perspective
The story appears to be written from the perspective of Heaney as a young child.
 “I...felt like crying”
 “It wasn't fair”
However, there is also evidence to suggest the more detached perspective of Heaney as an adult
looking back on this experience.
 “Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.” (antithetical)
Stanza 1
“Late August, given heavy rain and sun
For a full week, the blackberries would ripen.”
 “Late August” and “blackberries would ripen” both indicate that this is not a one-off event, but
one which is repeated annually.
 This also immediately establishes the time of year the events took place (“Late August”) as well
as their timescale (“for a full week”)
 “given heavy rain and sun” establishes the environmental conditions in northern Ireland at this
time of year.
 Sets up a sensual atmosphere: heat of the sun burning off the moisture from the rain – humid
and heavy air.
“At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
Among others, red, green, hard as a knot.”
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The word choice of “glossy” and “purple” to describe the first berry of the season carries
connotations of richness, of both the colour and taste of the berry. The colour purple also has
regal connotations, suggesting the high regard that the boy has for this first berry.
The metaphor “a … clot” draws a comparison between the first berry of the season and a
blood clot.
o This highlights its soft juiciness, as well as suggesting the deep rich colour of the berry.
o Additionally, this is the first in a series of associations made with flesh and blood,
indicating the sensual nature of the berry picking process, as well as the violent and
guilty associations that Heaney personally sees there.
The simile “hard as a knot” draws a comparison between other unripened berries which soon
appear. This highlights how hard and tight these berries are, a contrast to the first berry
described in the previous line.
“You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet”
 The choice of the word “flesh” again draws associations with flesh and blood, indicating the
sensual nature of the berry picking process, as well as the violent and guilty associations that
Heaney personally sees there.
 The choice of the word “sweet” continues to reinforce the boy’s enthusiasm for the first berry
and of the childish pleasure that it gives him.
 “Flesh” – sexual connotations –
 “sweet” - giving into temptation and the initial pleasure that comes with it.
“Like thickened wine:”
 This simile draws a comparison between the taste of the first berry of the season and rich wine.
o This suggests that the berry has a sophisticated taste, as wine-tasting is often seen as a
very refined activity.
o It also implies the intoxicating effect that the berries have on the children, hinting at the
enthusiasm and “lust” that they have for the berries in later lines.
“summer's blood was in it”
 This metaphor compares the juice of the berries to the blood of the summer, yet another
association between the berries and the idea of flesh and blood. This reminds the reader of
o the rich taste of the berries,
o their vibrant red colour
o the sensual pleasure of picking and tasting the berries
o the violent and guilt-ridden associations that Heaney has with the berries.
 Link to Christ – mentions of wine and blood to draw comparison. He died for our sins, so does
Heaney feel that he is sinning in pursuing this pleasure?
“Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for
Picking.”
 “Leaving stains on the tongue” illustrates the indelible (lasting/unforgettable) impact that the
taste of the berries have on the children.
 The choice of the word “lust” reinforces the strength of the children’s desire to pick the berries,
as well as reinforcing the sensual, pleasurable nature of blackberry-picking.
 The enjambment of “Picking” (the decision to put this word at the start of a new line), places an
extra emphasis upon it and marks the start of this next section of the poem – the actual picking
of the blackberries.
“Then red ones inked up”
 “inked up” suggests the stains that the berry juice leaves on the boys hands, again reinforcing
the indelible effect that the experience of blackberry-picking has on them.
“and that hunger / Sent us out”
 The choice of the word “hunger”, similarly to “lust” above, reinforces the strength of the
children’s desire to pick the berries, as well as reinforcing the sensual nature of blackberrypicking – they have been taken in by temptation.
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The commanding tone of “Sent us out” suggests again the drive of the children’s desire to pick
the berries, implying that their hunger for them is capable of commanding them to go out and
begin gathering them.
“with milk cans, pea tins, jam-pots”
 The use of the list form here indicates the random selection of containers that the children have
used to gather the berries. This suggests that they have grabbed anything they could lay their
hands on to store the berries in, again reinforcing the strength of their desire to gather the
berries.
 This list of containers also helps to reinforce the rural environment the events of the poem take
place in, where cows are milked, homemade jam is made, etc.
“Where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots.”
 This provides another two examples of the permanent effect that the berry-picking has on the
children, as well as reinforcing the strength of the children’s desire to pick these berries – they
will clearly not be stopped in their quest to gather berries by the briars or the wet grass.
 This information is also indicative of the rural environment in which the events of the poem take
place. “briars” is a colloquial word, indicating the rural, Irish setting. “wet grass” suggests the
climate.
“Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills”
 The use of the list form here indicates the multitude of places the children have searched to
gather the berries, suggesting that they have scoured the countryside for them. This again
reinforces the strength of their desire to gather the berries.
 Additionally, this list of locations helps to reinforce the rural environment that the events of the
poem take place in, as hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills (fields ploughed for planted
potatoes) are all clearly locations that would be found on a farm.
“We trekked and picked until the cans were full,”
 The choice of the word “trekked” suggests the children walked great distances to gather the
berries, again reinforcing their enthusiasm for picking them – they were not put off by the
exertion involved.
“Until the tinkling bottom had been covered
With green ones,”
 The onomatopoeia of “tinkling” suggests the noise the berries make as they hit the bottom of
the container as it is filled.
o A “tinkling” noise suggests berries repeatedly hitting the bottom of the container,
suggesting that the container is being speedily filled up. This suggests the enthusiastic
approach the children have to gathering the berries, as well as the vast quantity of
them.
o “tinkling” also suggests the hardness of the unripe, green berries.
 They have been greedy and gone to excess – they have picked the unripe berries. In their
pursuit of pleasure they have gone too far.
“and on top big dark blobs burned
Like a plate of eyes.”
 The word choice used in the description of the berries as “big dark blobs” suggests the
shapeless, soft, juicy consistency of the ripe berries lying on top of the container.
 The simile “burned like a plate of eyes” describes the berries on top of the container the child is
filling.
o This suggests the shape of the berries: spherical, soft, juicy and squidgy.
o This imagery continues the references to flesh and blood made throughout the first
stanza.
o This is the first suggestion in the poem of Heaney’s guilt over going to excess. The
blackberries are described as “eyes” that can be said to be watching him, burning into
him as they silently judge him and his lack of commitment to the rural lifestyle.
“Our hands were peppered
With thorn pricks,”
 The choice of the word “peppered” suggests a great many thorn pricks, illustrating the amount
of injuries the children sustained in gathering the berries.
o This reinforces their enthusiasm for gathering the berries, as they were prepared to
endure this to gather them.
o This highlights the sensual, physical nature of the blackberry-picking.
o This suggests the struggle endured to pick the berries, as if the berries were resisting being
picked and fighting back in some way.
o This suggests the permanent, indelible effect that the experience of blackberry-picking
has on them.
o Relates to Christ (crown of thorns) and therefore to sinning. The resistance of the berries
indicating the guilt of the children – in their temptation and greed they have gone to
excess and these physical marks indicate the beginning of guilt.
“our palms sticky as Bluebeard's.”
 The juice of the berries as it stains the children’s hands is compared to the blood on the hands
of Bluebeard – a fairytale character who married a succession of women before murdering
them.
o This continue the association with berry-picking and flesh and blood, suggesting:
 the violence Heaney sees in the blackberry-picking;
 the sensual, physical nature of the activity;
 the vibrant red colour and the rich taste of the berries.
 The associated guilt with going to excess and pursuing this pleasure
o This also reinforces the idea that the process of berry-picking has a sustained impact on
the children, as the berries stain their hands with their juice – think deeper meaning –
they are learning a lesson, process of growing up, innocence fading.
Stanza Two
“We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.”
 The word choice of “hoarded” carries connotations of a precious item that was hidden away /
stored up, suggesting the value that the children placed upon the berries.
 The word “byre” is colloquial and indicative of the setting of rural Northern Ireland.
“But when the bath was filled we found a fur,
A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.”
 The alliteration of “filled we found a fur” highlights the rapid disintegration of the berries as they
start to decay.
 The description of the moldy berries as “A rat-grey fungus” conjures up a disgusting image of
the berries, reinforced by the idea of this rat-like entity glutting (feeding to excess) on the
remaining healthy berries. This image of the healthy berries being devoured by the mould helps
to illustrate the way this mould quickly spreads throughout the bathtub.
 “cache” suggests a store of precious goods or provisions, suggesting the value that the children
placed upon the berries.
 In the context of the blackberries of the poem acting as an extended metaphor for Heaney’s
loss of childhood innocence and the disillusionment that comes with adult realism. The “rat-grey
fungus” can be seen to be representative of his adult realisations and how it contaminates his
prior enjoyment and pursuit of pleasures.
“The juice was stinking too.”
 The choice of the word “stinking” reinforces how disgusting the blackberries have become,
especially given that the juice was previously referred to as “summer’s blood” and “thickened
wine” in the first stanza.
“Once off the bush
The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.”
 The juxtaposition (placing together) of the antonyms “sweet” and “sour” highlights the sharp
contrast between the two states the berries have been in, illustrating how the berries have
transformed from an object of delight into something repulsive.
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Deeper meaning – pleasure to guilt, innocence to realistic view
“I always felt like crying.”
 This reaction to the decaying berries implies that these events are viewed from the perspective
of a child. However this might also allude to the deeper significance Heaney sees in the berries,
using them as a metaphor for his disillusionment with the world that has come from the loss of
childhood innocence and joy. In this context, Heaney’s tears seem less indulgent.
“It wasn't fair”
 The petulant tone of “It wasn’t fair” suggests that this section of the poem is being viewed from
the perspective of a child.
“That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.”
“Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.”
 These two lines are the second of only two full rhymes that appear in the poem, the other
being:
“At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
Among others, red, green, hard as a knot.”
These rhyming couplets act as a framing device. The first couplet introduces the first taste of
the blackberries and the excited frenzy of picking that stems from it, whereas the second deals
with Heaney’s disillusionment with the berries. The use of these two rhymes invites the reader to
compare these two sections, highlighting the contrast in Heaney’s emotional state.
 The juxtaposition (placing together) of “lovely canfuls” and “smelt of rot” highlights the sharp
contrast between the two states the berries have been in, illustrating how the berries have
transformed from an object of delight into something repulsive.
 Heaney’s use of antithesis in the last line underlines the futility of hoping that the berries would
not decay. He speaks here from the perspective of an adult, recognising and looking back on
the contradiction in his ideas.
 Considering these lines in the context of a metaphor, where the berries represent Heaney’s
growing realisation of the negative consequences of greedily pursuing pleasures and
enjoyments and of the inevitability of growing up and childhood innocence giving way to adult
realism.
Two Example Essays Below:
Blackberry Picking Essay
The vivid and symbolic poem ‘Blackberry Picking’ by Seamus Heaney explores the loss of
innocence during the period of adolescence. Typically of Heaney the poem is heavily
metaphorical and as such can be linked to many different ideas, including that of his
religious upbringing. Heaney uses a combination of metaphors, imagery and contrast to
effectively evoke the essence of change in multiple stages in life. However the main focus
of the poem referenced throughout the text is adolescence.
The poem’s title shows the reader that the text will describe the experience of picking
blackberries, which overtly is does. However if one reads deeper into the themes Heaney
conveys through the text, the poem can be found very similar to the story of Genesis. The
setting depicted at the start of the poem is similar to the paradise described in Genesis,
“heavy rain and sun” describe optimum conditions for plant growth and as such the
setting is portrayed to be ripe and luscious. The lusciousness of the setting is further
supported by the description of the first ripe berry as a “glossy, purple clot” the word
“glossy” has connotations of health and beauty and the colour “purple” is often used to
describe something as luxurious, the description of the berry as a “clot” implies that it is
thick and full of life in the same sense as a blood clot. Heaney’s vivid imagery likens the
similarities between his own setting and paradise, thus portraying the true themes and
basis of the poem. Though Adam and Eve started out in a paradise much like Heaney’s
own description, due to their self-assured actions and subsequent loss of innocence, they
both undergo a change and find themselves punished by being immersed in a harsh new
reality. As in the story of Genesis, so the boys who take part in picking blackberries and
the experience it provides, undergo a similar change and as such receive an unbidden
punishment. Whereas Adam and Eve go through one monumental change, the boys go
through many small changes inevitably leading to the same result; Heaney describes the
boys loss of innocence and subsequently their gain of a more mature outlook, the stages
Heaney describes are all key features of the adolescent stage in life and as such the
poem can be read as a metaphor used to successfully evoke the essence of that stage.
The idea of adolescence is further extended through Heaney’s use of colours which aid in
drawing out the main themes of the poem. The opposite colours used “red, green”
convey the true nature of adolescence through their connotations, their juxtaposition
show the contrast of maturity and immaturity present at this stage in life. “Green” is a
colour that represents youth, it often describes something as young or inexperienced. This
effectively evokes the essence of adolescence as during that stage in life, though one
considers themselves old and grown up, adolescents in fact have little life experience
and are still dependent on the care of their elders. Heaney’s description of the berries as
“red” can be viewed as a covert depiction of the true nature of adolescence. The colour
red is commonly associated with sexuality and eroticism; feelings drawn out during
adolescence when sexual maturity is reached. Heaney develops this idea later in the line
“red ones inked up”. “inked up” depicts the red of the berries intensifying and deepening,
however the line can also be read as a metaphor for the sexual curiosity of the boys
growing stronger before inevitably peaking.
The idea of sexual maturity is further explored with:
“you ate that first one and its flesh was sweet”
In this line the boys describe the berries as sweet and therefore pleasant. This has sexual
connotations as “flesh” can be used to describe the physical appearance and of a
person and “sweet” is a term of endearment. Through this line Heaney shows the reader
the boys have come to appreciate more adult pleasures in their maturity, he thus evokes
adolescence through both the maturity of the boys’ desires, but also through the
inexperience that comes with the description of it being their “first”.
Heaney portrays the loss of innocence that comes with adolescence through the use of
macabre imagery. Heaney describes the cans full of berries while on
“on top big dark blobs burned/like a plate of eyes”
The use of macabre imagery with the berries as metaphorical “eyes” creates a cruel
atmosphere for the boys to be surrounded in, the cruelty is further enforced through the
judgemental connotations of the berries. Heaney’s description of the berries as “eyes”
suggests to the reader that the boys feel they are being watched by a higher force and
subsequently judged. As the poem is written from the boys’ point of view it is clear to the
reader that they are seeing burning “eyes” in place of berries, and as such feel guilty for
their actions and mature desires. As the boys feel they have done wrong, Heaney
successfully depicts the loss of innocence and new found feelings of regret experienced
during adolescence.
Heaney finishes his poem with a grim life lesson to the boys; that no success is guaranteed.
Though the boys spent much time and effort collecting their treasure “A rat-grey fungus”
still consumes all and puts their hardship to waste. With the description of the spoiling
factor as being a “fungus”, Heaney draws the readers’ attention to the fact that decay,
though disgusting, is natural. In isolation it is implied that the boys have learned (the hard
way) a valuable life lesson that all good things must inevitably come to an end. As such a
lesson is taught to the boys, it is clear from the adult reflection on the experience that the
point has been well received.
“Each year I hoped they’d keep, knew they would not”
By the line “knew they would not” it is clear to the reader the boys have learned and
matured. The line also successfully summarises one of the main themes of the poem; the
loss of innocence. The contrast between the starting and ending thoughts of the line
effectively depict this as “each year I hoped they’d keep” is a childlike wish. Not only is it
an impossible request one who had not faced the cruelty of reality would ask, but it is
such a simple thing it would likely satisfy no one who had bigger things –such as their own
well-being– to worry about. As the innocence in this thought is implied, the contrast
between the next thought is stark. “knew they would not” is full of adult reflection and
cold realisation, the reader is shown that the boys realise such wishes are pointless as
despite themselves, they “knew” would not come true. The line as such depicts a loss of
innocence between the first and second thoughts as the latter clearly contains a deeper
insight into life and the way it works. With this line, Heaney also successfully portrays
adolescence through the contrast of innocent and mature ideas. The period of
adolescence is a change from an innocent outlook to that of one more mature, such as
the line starts off with a childlike voice and ends with an adult one, the change present is
typical of adolescence.
In conclusion, Heaney’s use of vivid imagery and covert contrast throughout the poem
effectively evoke the essence of adolescence. He draws attention to the key themes of
adolescence by comparing the self-inflicted punishment the boys experience to the story
of Genesis, as the story is well known and therefore relatable. By using colours to increase
the vibrancy of his imagery, Heaney covertly depicts more than the story of the poem
through their connotations. Heaney shows that the boys have sexual desires and through
this, conveys their loss of innocence. When finally Heaney shows the stark contrast
between the boys’ mentality at the beginning and ending of the poem, it is clear to the
reader that the boys have changed. Not only have they been robbed of their innocence,
but with the catalyst of the blackberry picking experience the boys have both physically
and mentally matured, and been forced into the realisation that not everything ends well.
Such changes are key to the stage of adolescence and as such, Heaney effectively
portrays that stage in life to the reader. In conjunction with this, Heaney uses a
combination of surprising content and shift in atmosphere to deliver the cold message to
his readers; that not everything in life works out, and no amount of wishing or hard work
will change that.
Example Essay Two
Choose a poem which depicts a particular stage of life, such as childhood, adolescence, middle
age or old age.
Discuss how effectively the poet evokes the essence of this stage in life.
Taken from Seamus Heaney's collection 'Death of a Naturalist', 'Blackberry Picking' begins as an
innocent poem describing a childhood memory about picking blackberries. Through his skilful use
of poetic devices such as contrast, imagery and rhythm, Heaney continues the poem on to explore
the essence of childhood – the guilt that comes from over indulgence, and the loss of innocence
that eventually follows.
The title of the poem suggests that the plot-line is the experience of blackberry picking, which it can
be read as; however, it also alludes to another fruit picking story – the story of Adam and Eve. The
first line immediately relates to the Garden of Eden. The zeugma's “heavy rain and sun” set up a
languid, humid atmosphere, especially as it is 'late August,' high summer, a season linked with heat
and childhood memories. The intensity of these two weather elements is amplified by the unusual
grouping of “heavy” and “sun” which suggests thick, sticky air and a luscious, sensuous and
tempting atmosphere that can be connected with the paradise of Eden. The “glossy purple clot”
of the berries develop this sensuousness. The berries are irresistible to the boys, just like the apple to
Eve: “You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet // Like thickened wine.” The use of second person
involves the reader in the sensuous experience referenced in “that first one” which links to the
excitement in childhood caused by first experiences. It is suggested that the boys are also
becoming increasingly interested in pursuing the pleasures of “flesh,” which is a mature pleasure
and tells us that these boys are beginning to mature. However, the reference to “flesh”, “wine” and
“blood” also has a religious connotations. Heaney was raised a Catholic, and it is traditional for
Catholics to drink wine in replacement of Christ's blood to remember his crucifixion, when he died
for our sins. This alludes to the fact that the boys are committing a sin, like Eve in Eden that will lead
to them losing their childhood innocence and begin to mature, which is a major part of young life.
Once children find something that gives them pleasure, they indulge their desires; the boys pick the
tempting berries, not knowing that what they are doing could be wrong and harmful. The “lust” and
“hunger” that the boys feel have sexual connotations, which links back to the maturing nature of
childhood. Children are always searching for new pleasures which they easily give in to:
“Leaving stains upon the tongue.”
The connotations of “stains” are of something lasting that shouldn't, and tells the reader that the
berries have left a lasting effect on the boys, a permanent piece of proof of the sin they have
committed. This wrong is not realised until the last few lines of stanza one:
“Big dark blobs burned // Like a plate of eyes.”
The plosive “big...blobs burned” creates a harsh sound and changes the mood of the poem. The
boys are beginning to feel guilty for what they have done and this feeling of shame is enhanced
by the simile “like a plate of eyes.” The berries are no longer sensuous and desirable, but described
as eyes burning into the boys, accusing them for doing something terrible. The boys slowly begin to
feel their shame, which is vital at a young age as it allows us as adults to tell right from wrong. This is
a major part of growing up and very important to a Catholic, as doing right gets you into heaven.
With the opening of the second stanza comes another change in tone, revealing that the boys'
shame is manifesting into a slow realisation that what they have done is wrong, and that each
action has a consequence. The boys “found a fur,” which is soft alliteration and, as the word “fur”
is only three letters, the reader becomes aware that this image is also a metaphor for the – at first
tiny - epiphany the boys are having. In fact, it is so small that the boys try to ignore it at first:
“Glutting on our cache.”
This phrase is ironic, as the narrator blames the fungus for committing one of the seven sins, gluttony,
when the boys are the ones at fault. It is natural for a child to shift the blame, and natural for even
adults to avoid any mistake they may have committed, but real maturity comes from facing ones
mistake:
“Once off the bush the fruit fermented.”
The idea Heaney puts across here is that, not only are the blackberries beginning to spoil, but the
boys are becoming more aware of the mistake they have made and this realisation is growing. It's
also suggested that children cannot help sometimes doing bad deeds soon as they are born or “off
the bush”. Once again, the title can be linked back to the title in a reference to Adam and Eve –
just like the first two people, the narrator has indulged in temptation and is now paying the price;
guilt, shame and knowledge.
The knowledge that the boys gain is unforgettable and takes them a step closer to full maturity. This
loss of innocence is the very essence of a childhood – that change that leads on to young
adulthood. To highlight this change, Heaney saves his most childish line till the end of “Blackberry
Picking”:
“I always felt like crying. It wasn't fair.”
“Always” suggests that the narrator overindulged when blackberry picking many time and did not
learn from past mistakes for a long time. The narrator was at first holding onto their childish
innocence, but the final line shows this innocence fading:
“Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.”
While this sentence still has a slightly childish tone, it also has the mature edge of adult reflection.
Knowledge kills innocence, and the loss of innocence is often disappointing, which alludes to
Heaney's opinion that childhood is a preparation for disappointment. An unhappy adulthood leads
to a longing to lose the knowledge gained from living and regain innocence of childhood – almost
like returning to the Garden of Eden. This wistfulness is developed by the half rhyme throughout the
poem which hints at a half childish tone. It suggests that child-like hopes are prevalent all the way
through life, despite “knowing” better. While the essence of childhood is maturing, nobody fully lets
go of that innocence if adulthood is, as Heaney says, is disappointing.
Overall, “Blackberry Picking” gets straight to the heart of childhood, from the overexcited
beginning, when children indulge in pleasure to the point of excess and learn through a slow
process that each action has a consequence, which stops the world looking so fantastical in the
eyes of a child as they lose their innocence, which is the biggest part of young life. Despite this,
there is a child in us all, which Seamus Heaney cleverly implies in his poem “Blackberry Picking”.