Seamus Heaney – The Skunk Commentary

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Seamus Heaney – The Skunk Commentary

Skunk is a poem by Seamus Heaney about his married life. The poem is a

tribute to his wife – how living away from home has caused him to miss

his married life. Exiled from his wife, Heaney is recalls the skunk

which reminds him of his wife.

There are two settings in this poem. The first five stanzas are based

on memories of California nights, and the last stanza is a recent

memory of waiting in bed for his wife as she changed into her

nightdress.

The theme of this poem is memory, where Heaney recalls memories of his

California nights; this is portrayed in “it all came back to me last

night”. It is also a celebration of the energy and freshness of his

marriage; “after eleven years I was composing love letters again”. He

also shows his frustration and desire for his wife, a pain of

separation from her; “the beautiful useless tang of eucalyptus spelt

your absence.”

The tone of this poem is sacred, sexual, repulsive – it is erotically

inviting. Using interesting descriptions, Heaney is able to convey

this poem in a tender yet...

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