Seamus Heaney

Seamus Heaney, born in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, was often called by his contemporaries the finest poet writing in English. In his early works, such as Death of a Naturalist (1966) and Door Into the

xxxiv

by Seamus Heaney (1939–2013)

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15

Yeats said, To those who see spirits, human skin

For a long time afterwards appears most coarse.

The face I see that all falls short of since

Passes down an aisle: I share the bus

From San Francisco Airport into Berkeley

With one other passenger, who's dropped

At the Treasure Island military base
Half-way across Bay Bridge, Vietnam-bound,
He could have been one of the newly dead come back,

Click here for complete poem

Poets Book of Days

April 13

Muriel Spark died, 2006

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Poetry Trivia

Question:

Whose epitaph reads, "Don't Try"?

Answer

Charles Bukowski.

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