The Haw Lantern by Seamus Heaney

This collection of poetry contains my favorite sequence by Seamus Heaney, "Clearances," a most lovely meditation on his mother's death. In "Clearances" the simplest, everyday tasks gain meaning and dignity. I also particuarly enjoyed "A Ship of Death," a translation from Beowulf, and "A Peacock's Feather," on a niece's baptism. In addition I was intrigued by this collection's focus on language and writing (the first poem is called "Alphabets" for good reason). Overall a beautiful collection of poetry. Worth reading and owning for "Clearances" alone. I bought this book when I heard Mr. Heaney read at Goucher College in 2002.