Blackberry-Picking Analysis - Literary devices and Poetic devices

Blackberry-Picking
by Seamus Heaney

Late August, given heavy rain and sun
For a complete week, the blackberries might ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
Among others, pink, inexperienced, tough as a knot.
You ate that first one and its flesh changed into sweet
Like thickened wine: summer season’s blood turned into in it
Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for
Picking. Then pink ones inked up and that hunger
Sent us out with milk cans, pea tins, jam-pots
Where briars scratched and moist grass bleached our boots.
Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills
We trekked and picked till the cans have been full,
Until the tinkling bottom have been covered
With green ones, and on top large darkish blobs burned
Like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered
With thorn pricks, our hands sticky as Bluebeard’s.

We hoarded the clean berries within the byre.
But while the bathtub became filled we determined a fur,
A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.
The juice changed into stinking too. Once off the bush
The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.
I continually felt like crying. It wasn’t fair
That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.
Each 12 months I was hoping they’d keep, knew they would not.

Summary of Blackberry-Picking
Popularity of “Blackberry-Picking”: Seamus Heaney, a brilliant Irish poet and playwright, wrote ‘Blackberry-Picking’. It is a thought-provoking poem about disappointment and joy. It changed into first published in 1966 in his e book Death of Naturalist. The poem speaks approximately a young boy who is going to the blackberry discipline to pick out them. It additionally explains the speaker’s ideas about life.
“Blackberry-Picking” As a Representative of Life: The poem is ready a simple event of blackberries picking on a past due summer time day. The speaker immerses himself inside the enthusiastic global of late summer, a time to pick juicy blackberries. He affords an enchanting photograph of the sphere where pink, inexperienced, and pink berries are attracting his attention. After tasting the purple berries, a yearns for more.
His friends driven him to pick out as many blackberries as they are able to. Filled with childish nature and innocence, the speaker starts selecting the berries using various packing containers like jam pots, pea tins, and milk cans. He is ignorant of the technicalities and the technique of picking and maintaining those blackberries. He is truly choosing and hoarding them without thinking about consequences. Unfortunately, his happiness is brief and short-lived. He is disappointed to discover that the blackberries which he hoarded have been rotting. Their sweet juice changed into sour, and their sleek surface turned into sticky. He feels unhappy as every 12 months he makes a decision to preserve them, he fails.
Major Themes in “Blackberry-Picking”: Growing up, greed, man as opposed to nature, and unhappiness are the principal subject matters underlined in this literary piece. The speaker has superbly presented the kids’s harmless nature in comparison to the bitter realities of life. At first, the kids are vibrant, enthusiastic, and enthusiastic about the hobby they carry out to fulfill their greed. They collect as many blackberries as they can to experience their sweetness for a protracted time. Unfortunately, the blackberries are getting rotten with their resultant ache and sadness. However, it is thru this simple, insignificant incident, the speaker conveys a great lesson that things never workout as in line with your expectations.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Blackberry-Picking”
Literary devices are tools utilized by writers to bring their emotions, thoughts, and issues to make texts more appealing to the reader. Seamus Heaney has also used some literary devices on this poem to discover the phenomenon of life. The evaluation of some literary devices used on this poem has been stated underneath.

Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds inside the same line in quick succession. The sound of /f/ in ‘The fruit fermented’ and the sound of /b/ ‘With inexperienced ones, and on top massive dark blobs burned’.
Allusion: Allusion is a perception and an oblique reference of a person, place, component or concept of a historical, cultural, political, or literary significance. For example, in the sixteenth line, a bluebird alludes to the fairytale’s individual who murders his wife.
“Like a plate of eyes. Our hands have been peppered
With thorn pricks, our arms sticky as Bluebeard’s.”

Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds within the equal line. For example, the sound of /n/ in “With green ones, and on top large dark blobs burned” and the sound of /d/ in “Each yr I hoped they’d keep, knew they might not.”
Enjambment: It is described as a verse that does not come to an cease at a line break; rather, it continues inside the subsequent line. For example,
“Until the tinkling bottom have been covered
With inexperienced ones, and on top massive dark blobs burned
Like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered
With thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard’s.”

Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers understand things regarding their 5 senses. For example, “Among others, purple, green, difficult as a knot”, “Sent us out with milk cans, pea tins, jam-pots”, and “Where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots.”
Simile: It is a tool used to compare something with some thing else to make the meanings clear to the readers. For example, “Among others, purple, green, difficult as a knot”, “With thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard’s” and “Like thickened wine: summer’s blood turned into in it.”
Symbolism: Symbolism is a use of symbols to suggest thoughts and qualities via giving them symbolic meanings extraordinary from their literal meanings. Blueberries are a symbol of youth, joy, and happiness.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Blackberry-Picking”
Poetic and literary devices are the equal, but some are used simplest in poetry. Here is the evaluation of some of the poetic gadgets used on this poem.

Iambic Pentameter: It is a type of meter having five iambs according to line. The poem follows iambic pentameter. For example, “Late August, given heavy rain and sun.”
Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the ABAB rhyme scheme and this sample continues until the stop.
Stanza: A stanza is a poetic shape of a few verses. There are stanzas in this poem, with every having a distinct number of verses in it.
Quotes to be Used
The lines stated underneath are useful when describing the spectacular splendor of nature.

“Late August, given heavy rain and sun
For a complete week, the blackberries could ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy red clot
Among others, crimson, green, hard as a knot.”