Flower Quote by Seamus Heaney
““Postscript And some time make the time to drive out west Into County Clare, along the Flaggy Shore, In September or October, when the wind And the light are working off each other So that the ocean on one side is wild With foam and glitter, and inland among stones The surface of a slate-grey lake is lit By the earthed lightning of a flock of swans, Their feathers roughed and ruffling, white on white, Their fully grown headstrong-looking heads Tucked or cresting or busy underwater. Useless to think you’ll park and capture it More thoroughly. You are neither here nor there, A hurry through which known and strange things pass As big soft buffetings come at the car sideways And catch the heart off guard and blow it open.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “Postscript” from the collection “The Haw Lantern” by Seamus Heaney, 1987
The poem captures a fleeting, wild coastal scene that overwhelms the traveler, urging surrender to nature’s sudden, emotional impact.
In simple terms: A wild seaside moment shakes the heart unexpectedly.
Key Takeaway
Embrace unexpected beauty and let it move you.
Themes
nature
emotion
travel
impermanence
sensory experience
Mood
awe
reflection
inspiration
Type
poetic
descriptive
philosophical
When to use this quote
- road trips
- photography
- creative writing
- mindful walking
Key Concepts
transcendence
ephemerality
mindfulness
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you respond when nature disrupts your routine?
- What does “blow it open” mean to you?
A Different Perspective
The intensity may be overwhelming for those seeking calm.
![“One of the very first poems I wrote was Docker That fist would drop a hammer on a Catholic and one of the sturdiest was Requiem for the Croppies, written 50 years after 1916 [the year of the Easter Rising]. Being responsible and what it means, what it demands, have indeed preoccupied me maybe too…” quote by Seamus Heaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5fb/seamus-heaney-1711_being-responsible_one-of-the-very-first-poems-i-wrote-was_181491.jpg)
![“Anything Can Happen is also, incidentally, a poem that arose from teaching. I'd talked about the Horace Ode (I, 34) [on which the poem is based] in a lecture I gave at Harvard in the fall of 2000 entitled Bright Boltsand remembered it after the Twin Towers attack.” quote by Seamus Heaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2e6/seamus-heaney-1711_anything-can-happen_anything-can-happen-is-also-incidentally_181651.jpg)
