(An Irish man digging into his land)
In the poem “Digging”, three generations of Ireland are involved. The first one is the poet’s grandpa’s generation. People of this generation dig into the Irish bog for coals. Coals are essential tools for Irish people to warm themselves in winter, while the bog is a significant symbol for Irish culture, from which Irish people found the relic of their ancestors. The next generation is the poet’s father’s, they dig into the Irish land for potatoes, one of the main crops that raised Irish people. The poet represents the third generation. People in this generation have no need to follow the previous generation and make a living with a spade. However, they are still digging into the Irish land, for the memories recorded by it, for the culture connotation held inside it, and for the nation’s vitality bred from it.
The poem is rooted in Irish culture. By the reminiscence, the poet shows his affection on his motherland. Moreover, by coming back to the squat pen between his finger and thumb, the author shows his determination to tell the story of Irish land and people by his poems.
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