The Otter

The Otter is one of my favourite Seamus Heaney poems. It greatly describes the beauty and grace of one of natures most under appreciated creatures, the otter. "When you plunged the light of Tuscany wavered and swung through the pool from top to bottom". Heaney does a great job using description so effectively. In this poem I think Heaney uses the 'otter' to describe a woman in his life. The poem describes features of an otter that could be applied to a woman. "I loved your wet head and smashing crawl, your fine swimmers back and shoulders". Heaney also describes himself as he watches the otter. " I sat dry throated on the warm stones. You were beyond me". Heaney picks just the right animal to describe this woman because it is a graceful and peaceful one, adding to the serene atmosphere of the poem.

The reason I like Seamus Heaney is the way he gets to the point while also having a deeper meaning. His poems are metaphorical in an easy to decipher way. This is what makes Heaney so genius. He has deeper meanings to his poems but they are easily relatable. He uses language that makes you look at things in a different way. For example, every time I see an otter from now on I will think of the light of Tuscany wavering, and the otters wet head and smashing crawl. Heaney is indeed one of the greatest poets of all time.