Death of a Naturalist

by Seamus Heaney

I like this poem because it is very descriptive and uses an iambic

pentameter which really adds to the slow, descriptive mood of the

poem. The setting of the poem seems to be one of a warm, sunny,

village in the countryside. It has an air of home about it. It also might

be a forest or pond because he talks about the animals, e.g when he

says “There were dragon-flies and spotted butterflies”. He has great

description and the imagery is great and is reinforced by the use of

alliteration and it can be seen where he says “I would fill jampotfuls

of the jellied”. He also uses cacophony where he says “to a coarse

croaking I had not heard before”. It really explains and describes the

sound of the animal.

by E.L.