Introduction: This poem comes from Heaneys first autobiographical collection of poems

Death of a Naturalist, and is hence similar to other poems found in the collection, such as
the titular poem. This poem gives a vivid account of picking blackberries. But it is really
about hope and disappointment (how things never quite live up to our expectations) and
blackberry picking becomes a metaphor for other experiences.
Point 1 Initial description of blackberries and references to blood and religious imagery
Anticipation towards blackberries
- They would ripen for a full week
- sweet flesh creates desire creates lust
- Ready to burst similar to DoaN
Sense of adventure
- Trekked long way enjoyable journey
Main theme throughout the first stanza is the religious and blood imagery
- Constant references to blood + iambic pentameter suggests hearbeat
- Blood needed for vitality, represents life
- Wine has connotations to blood but simile hints at last supper
- lust was one of the seven deadly sins
- "With thorn pricks" the crown of thorn worn by Jesus. This may imply the suffering
that will befall later due to greed.
- Foreshadows second stanza
Impact of final metaphor of blood, Bluebeard
- Serial killer who murdered his wives
- Persona/Heaney looks down at hands and sees peppered as in bullets
- Causes this realisation provides ominous tone leading into the second stanza
- Same as the In rain line in DoaN
Point 2 Transience of innocence reality of bitter experiences and things in life that
have to be dealt with
filled we found a fur heavy f sound mirrors disappointment.
wasnt fair
- Nature isnt fair thinks its cruel although its a natural part of nature
- He was greedy, wastes blackberries as he doesnt eat them all, realises the cyclical
nature of life and death and his parallels with Bluebeard.
- Emotional response crying regret over wrong doing
- lust human beings are never satisfied
rat-grey fungus
 - Rats have been associated with fear he is afraid when he realises picking
blackberries kills them + conjures a sinister feel to the death of the blackberries
- Grey shows bleakness and disappointment
Rhyming couplet on final line makes it have a larger impact reality of a situation that must
be dealt with
Point 3 Deeper meaning of the poem
Title: The title Blackberry-Picking holds a similar purpose to the title of Heaneys other work,
Mid-Term Break. The seemingly innocent title misleads readers regarding the intent of the
poem as it initially gives the impression of a fun, enjoyable activity. This intensifies the effect
of the poem on the readers when this impression is subverted by the end of the poem as
the final stanza provides explicit descriptions of the decay that the berries undergo and the
disgust that Heaney feels towards it.
Overall, this poem is about disappointment but many different possible interpretations
- Religious symbols parallel Jesus dying on the cross.
Poem is about a summer fling:
You could also come to believe this poem to be about a summer romance. It starts with
"Late August" and there are definite sexual references (i.e. he mentions the "lust for
picking"). Like any relationship, however, it is not without pain and the peppered hands are
referring to the fact that though it was a sweet relationship it had holes and could not last.
At the end when the fruit rots he says "Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would
not." Though it would be nice if summer romances lasted they don't. this poem is just one
extended sexual metaphor. The blackberries represent pure women and after a while they
"turn sour." Heaney is always left unsatisfied by the loss of innocence and purity in women.
Many of Heaneys poems contain sexual metaphors, so this poem is no surprise.
If the poem is about loss of innocence it could very well be sexual:
Sexual references This entire poem is about sex and the loss of innocence. The berries are a
representation of no matter how hard we try to hold on to our childish innocence, we all
inevitably loose it. It can't be helped

This poem is an allegory for life. One goes through life "Black berry picking" and while there
are hard times and good times, in the end you die. However, impending death does not
affect the life that one had. This that is why he still did it every summer picked the
blackberrys, knowing the would not keep. Life does not last forever, Cherish it!
Overall theme is disappointment is disappointment worth initial happiness?
Conclusion
Whilst the poem has so many interpretations, I think it is just what it says on the tin a
childhood experience where Heaney grew up etc