A Constable Calls" composed by Seamus Heaney, an Irish Nobel Laureate.

 A shadow bobbed in the window.
He was snapping the carrier spring
Over the ledger. His boot pushed off
And the bicycle ticked, ticked, ticked..

 

Reference:

                      This excerpt writing has been extracted from the poem " A Constable Calls" composed by Seamus Heaney, an Irish Nobel Laureate.

Context:

                This under-discussion poem is about the fears and apprehensions of the Irish people. Therefore, uncongenial circumstances are demonstrated by the persona's eye-view in a very artistic and elegant style.The persona is stunned and flabbergasted while looking at the Constable as well warrior appliances. The Constable as it is evident by the title of the poem is an ironical and an alarming figure at the rest of the poem. Whereof, the constable, comprehensively, represents the dominated forces.In addition, the poet narrates how the Irishmen were being exploited and harassed. Therefore, to enlighten the actual rationale, the narrator donates the reader particular and persuasive information regarding the authorities' behaviour with the farmers. Although, patriotism and propagandist elements are obvious in this poem, yet through the employment of the poetic techniques like universalization and generalization the poet acquires his target to not being a propagandist which he has stipulated in his "Redress of Poetry" as well. Hence, after the accomplishment of his authoritative and torturous investigation, the constable is going out-side the kitchen, the setting of this poem.

Explanation:

                         

                                  This thought-provoking excerpt is the crux of the poem titled " A Constable Calls". The constable is going out from the kitchen where the personae,child, and his father are present. While the constable is going , according to the persona there is someone outside the window. Might be some female_ the child's mother_or the constable's shadow. Afterwords, due to keen observation, the child listens the sound of tick, tick, tick, after departure of the Constable. Whereof, this expression of impression is the most significant constituent of "A Constable Calls". Hereby, this paragraph of poetry presents the apex of the narrator's view-point through content and form comparatively.

                            According to the content, the excerpt is about the childish imaginations. Although,the Constable has gone from the farmer-house, yet the child is frightened. This very aspect of his childish fancies is proved by the "shadow" like image behind the window. On the other side, it also could be of feminine figure. Actually, alienation from women is too one of the distinguished literary feature in the Post-Modern literature.

                          The sound of "tick, tick, tick" refers to the perpetual dangerous set-up. The personae still is in the anxious and apprehensive state of mind. This type of situation is the significant literary characteristics in the Post-Modern literature and Seamus Heaney is one of the most distinguished poet and critic of this particular age.

                      

                       Though there are some romantic elements in his poetry yet through the use of poetic techniques like universalization, generalization and myth-making he turns them to be the modern way of expression. Accordingly, Impressionism and expressionism are the dominant theme as well particularly in this last quatrain of the poem.

                     

                      According to the form, this quatrain is also one of the most best-expressed pieces of poetry particularly by the mastery pen of Seamus Heaney. This particular quatrain is condensed with figure of speech, e.g. Onomatopoeia, personification, symbolism, alliteration, assonance, consonance, internal rhyme scheme,, Repetition, visual imagery, audacity,organic, kinetic-movement, understatement, etc.

               

                    The very first line of the under-discussion excerpt is written in internal rhyme scheme. It is in other words is an instance of having element of the poetic device consonance, i.e. " A Shadow bobbed in the window". The letters "Dow" are significant in the word "shadow", and "window".

                         The second line of this concerning quatrain is an example of alliteration, i.e. the letter "s" is the starting character "s" of both prominent words "shipping", and, "spring" of this excerpt is similar to each other.

                       The second-last line of this poem and concerning quatrain is an instance of personification. Here, The word "boot" is personified. Here, not the constable pushed the pedal but "boot" himself pushed the pedal .

                     The concluding line of the very significant quatrain and the whole poem is condensed with meanings. Apparently, it is very interesting expression of the ideas. Notwithstanding, bicycle is symbolised. Therefore, the Constable's bicycle is representative of the authorities. Furthermore, through the use of visual imagery and the audible poetic device the poet brands the departure of the constable more strange and significant.

                        The denotation of "ticked, ticked, ticked" is, no doubt, best example of alliteration and repetition but it also predicts the upcoming horrible and catastrophic events. It also refers toward the doomsday.

                       In depth, denotation of "ticked, ticked, ticked" is an onomatopoeic poetic expression. Therefore, it alarms the reader about the upcoming devastating and destructive consequences, e.g. bomb-blast. As a result, one may say that, the tone of the poet in excerpt is to some extent frightened and observing. Moreover, the mode of the poet is anxious and agitated.

            

                 In nutshell, this under-discussion excerpt is a magnificent piece of poetry which deals with a number of themes. Accordingly, his poetic process comes to its apex in this concerning quatrain. Hence, this authentic and illustrative excerpt enlightens the most crucial aspect of Seamus Heaney's poetry; Irishmen were frightened and flabbergasted. They were in a state of dilemma and destruction. They were being exploited by the dominated brutal and barbaric forces. But, on the whole all these stuffs are expressed behind the curtain of poetic techniques, i.e. universalization and generalization.

COMPOSED BY:- M. SALEEM AKHTAR BODLA