Oldal 40 [40]
38 | Peter Dolmänyos
The poem “Shoreline”, of the same collection, takes a closer look at the vis¬
ibly dynamic geographical frontier zone of land and water where change is ob¬
servable on an easily comprehensible human time scale. The use of the precise
technical term in the title to denote the phenomenon implies a more formal
and objective perspective, and consequently a generic rather than a specific
individual experience. The non-finite verb forms of the opening of the poem
support this direction, the speaker appears to use a common voice and tone
that do not reflect a personal point of view for one particular experience. The
images of corner and hill, items that constrain sight by their physical essence,
serve to postpone the moment of focusing on the shoreline itself, it is the act
of passing them that facilitates the vision, or at least sight, of the constant
dynamic relation that exists between land and water. Co. Down is the in¬
itially depicted location, and while still rather general as a designation, it is a
more particular marker of place than what the title presents. The perspective
is widened to include Antrim, Moher, Wicklow and Mayo, locations that are
only recalled and evoked from the position of the opening one which even¬
tually functions as the place from where the utterance of the poem springs.
The shoreline thus becomes an all-encompassing definitive element of Ireland
regardless of its exact section of concrete momentary observation. Parallel to
this widening of the image of the shoreline the sea is also observed in a uni¬
form action all over the island, its constant conflict with the land is presented
as a ubiquitous feature whatever type of shoreline is involved, not only the
erosional scene of deep-water shorelines but even the shallow-water sections,
scenes of deposition, are seen as giving in to the power of the sea in the form
of “hissing submissions”.””
The constant interaction between water and land is presented through the
images of the waves and the tide, two general movements of seawater. While
they both have their figurative potential as images, it is the sounds that the
speaker focuses on, and it is this feature that activates his historical associa¬
tions: the sound of the constant movement of the sea carries the menace of in¬
vasion by covering the sound of the arrival of enemies. With this closure there
is a clear shift towards the learned and conscious sense of observing place as
the shoreline becomes a historically loaded location — the initial account of
the observation of geographical phenomena finally “uncovers the path of his¬
torical consciousness”.*° This culturally and historically embedded complex
experience reflects a more conscious engagement with the place than a simple
act of contemplation, which is already hinted at by the implications of the use
of the technical term in the title of the poem.
The activation of the same historical consciousness underlies the poem
“North”, which turns it into the programmatic poem of the eponymous col¬
lection through its explicit focus on the association of the title with the Vi¬
kings. The principal concern of the poem is the search for a pillar in Heaney’s
29 Heaney, Door into the Dark, 51
30 Tobin, Passage to the Center, 64