What I learned from “Field Work” by Seamus Heaney

When I first read this poem, I felt confused because I had a hard time understanding its meaning. But, after further inspection, I feel that I am able to understand the poem better. First, I noticed how Heaney uses many references to nature in order to describe and compare a woman that he refers to in Part I. Then, I also saw that there were some references to man-made items or commodities, such as vaccinations and coal trains. I began to think about why the woman was vaccinated, and I started to wonder if this vaccination describes the way the woman feels about Heaney and his love for nature. When Heaney said, “I could…smell the coal smell of the train that comes between us” (Heaney 52), I felt as if a light bulb had come on for me. Coal is a trademark for industry, and industry has often been represented as a steam train charging through the decades. Thus, it seems that Heaney feels that his beloved has lived in the technologically advanced world for so long, that she is immune to the wonder and beauty of nature and is thus separated from Heaney and his passion for the natural world. However, Part IV illustrated the fact that Heaney still desires to make the woman his, despite her flaws. When I read of Heaney pressing currant juice on the back of her hand, I thought back to his reference of the woman’s vaccination. It almost seems to me that Heaney is seeking to “vaccinate” her with nature because he loves nature so much, and he wishes her to share in his enthusiasm. However, I am also wondering if this poem is more than a love story. Could it also be a warning to Heaney’s audience to remember the glory and innate goodness of nature and not be consumed by the prevailing materialism and commercialism in society? I may be on the completely wrong track, but it still feels exciting to think that I may have grasped even a tiny inkling of the author’s intent in writing this poem.