Heaney, Seamus. "Blackberry-picking".

Summary

- the speaker describes the ripening blackberries, the lustful gathering of the intoxicating fruit, and the deep disappointment over its going foul every time after being taken for storing

- sadly states he is always sticking to the hope the berries would not rot next year though he rationally knows they would

Analysis

- free verse, irregular rhyme; melodic

- strikingly sensuous in the images of ripe fruit

- simple yet moving: relates a child's disappointment to a larger adult's discomfort

- the theme of decay of anything removed from its natural conditions and surroundings

- suggests broader hints of patriotic sentiments and the idea of hoping for improvement