Patrick Kavanagh

It is a harvest evening. The poet is remembering his mother.

The poet does not want to think about his mother in a “Monaghan graveyard” He wants to remember her while she was alive.

He remembers the words she used to say: “Don’t forget to see about the cattle” His memories of his mother are sprinkled with the reality that she is dead: “Among your earthiest words the angels stray”

Contrast the words ‘earthiest’ and ‘angels’, which are not of this earth. Why do you think Kavanagh uses these words?

“And I think if you walking along a headland of green oats in June”

Although the poem is about death it is also about life. The poet brings his mother to life. The phrase ‘green oats’ is full of life. Green is fresh and young. June is a time of growth and optimism.

“full of repose rich with life” The phrase ‘full of repose’ has a sense of irony. It is in contrast with ‘so rich with life’. To repose means to stop after moving, to lie down, to rest, to be at peace.

‘ Repose’ is often associated with funerals. In his mind there is a contrast, she was last seen in repose but in his mind she is full of life.

He remembers them meeting ‘by accident’ ‘On a fair day’. Their conversations were like being ‘Free in the oriental streets of thought’ He claims again ‘O you are not lying in the wet clay’

“And you smile up at us – eternally” While Kavanagh is working with the harvest he imagines his mother smiling up at him. The final line in the poem explains how the poet can overcome his grief.

He can overcome his grief by imagining that she is not gone. He can feel her presence looking up at him on this beautiful harvest evening.

 LOVE AND FAMILY: This poem is a touching tribute to the poet’s mother. Even though he is sad that she is gone, the poem is not sad because Kavanagh wants to remember her as she was when she was alive.  Instead of telling us about her funeral, he tells us about her life so we can learn what kind of person she was. He remembers the close relationship that they had and how much he loves his mother.

 THOUGHTFUL: The poet recalls the life his mother lived because he doesn’t want to think of her lying in a grave.  Even though she is dead her memory is still alive to the poet and she isn’t truly gone. He can still feel her presence smiling down on him.

 ADDRESS: “I do not think of you lying in the wet clay” Means – the poet addresses the poem directly to his mother which makes it more personal. Shows us – how much he misses her.  METAPHOR: “So rich with life” Means – compares her to a wealthy person but she wasn’t rich with money, she was rich with energy and joy. Show us – the happy life his mother led.  IMAGERY: “And you smile up at us – eternally” Means – even though his mother is dead she is still a presence in his life. Shows us – that his mother isn’t really gone because her memory is still alive.