I was most interested in Seamus Heaney's Bog Poems. Mummies have always fascinated me, and when reading his poem "Punishment" I became engaged by the imagery, the subject, the elements of humanity--I find it all so interesting. I felt a lot of emotion when reading this poem, I think Heaney writes in an empathetic way that made me sympathize with the young girl. The description of her body, recognizing that her head was shaved, noting her undernourishment, yet all the while commenting on her beautiful face and young age is heart wrenching. I also love this poem because of its honesty:
"I almost love you
but would have cast, I know,
the stones of silence.
I am the artful voyeur
of your brain’s exposed. . . "
He is describing all of these awful and grotesque things that appear so violent and immoral, yet he recognizes that his judgement is not completely correct. If he would have lived during her time, he would not have saved her. He may not have been casting the"stones" that killed her physically, but he would have tossed the stones of silence (the stones of indifference) and therefore he is implying he would have been just as guilty as those who killed her. I find this to be a harsh reality. I think it challenges us presently, in what ways do we remain silent and indifferent in our present day and age? I think the brilliance of this poem is the connection between the past and present. We still struggle to speak out against social ills, and we fear doing so. What would have happened to the person who would have tried to save this girl? Perhaps their fate would have been the same as hers. Furthermore, the girl's execution for adultery does not seem a fair punishment. Where is the male with whom she was engaging? Was he involved in her victimizing? The poem exposes the brutalities of society, and they haunt every age of civilization.
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