District and Circle by Seamus Heaney

“District and Circle” won the T.S. Eliot Prize in 2006.

Page numbers refer to the Faber and Faber 2006 paperback (pictured above).

1)      Heaney is fond of using unusual or local words in his poems and there are notes on the meanings of these – did you feel that you needed any explanation of the meanings or did the collection work well without them? How did you feel about his use of these unusual words (e.g. snedder)?

2)      Did you notice anything about the order of the poems? For example how did Heaney’s choice of first and last poem work?

3)      There are several themes running through this collection – for example war, death, ageing – did you notice any others? How did these themes work?

4)      Heaney often writes poems in strict form and this collection is no exception, the three poems after the first poem for example are sonnets. How did you find his use of form? Did you notice it? Did it fit the subject matter? What did you notice most – the form or the subject? Do you think writing in form changes the nature of the writing?

5)      There is a section of three linked prose poems in the book (p36) – how did you respond to these? Are they poems? How did they fit with the rest of the collection? Would you have liked more poems like this?

6)      Several of the poems are translations – how did you feel about these? Do they fit with the rest of the collection?

7)      Heaney’s work is known for directly or indirectly addressing the ‘troubles’ in Northern Ireland – was this theme addressed here?

8)      The sequence “District and Circle” refers to Edgware Road Station which was the site of the 2005 terrorist attack – were you aware of this as you read the poem? Does knowing this change your reading of the poem or how you feel about it? Is it essential to know it?

9)      What was your favourite/ least favourite poem? Why?

Notes on words

Testudo (p5) - In the testudo or tortoise formation was a formation used commonly by the Roman Legions during battles, particularly sieges. Testudo is the Latin word for "tortoise". (Wikepedia)

Scriptorium (p15) – a place for writing, usually refers to a room used where manuscripts were copied in Medieval monasteries.

George Seferis (p20) – A Greek poet, diplomat and essayist – he won The Nobel Prize for Literature in 1963.

Seggans (p20) – The Irish word for rushes.

Sùgán (p28) – a wooden chair with a seat made of twine.

B-men (p33) – or B Specials were part-time, unpaid members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

Requiescat (p44) – Rest in peace.

Nonce word (p44) - a word used to meet a need that is not expected to recur.

Brancardier (p48) – stretcher bearer.

Höfn (p53) – an Icelandic fishing town in the East of the country.

Bletting (p59) – a process that some soft fleshy fruit goes through when it starts to decy and ferment – some fruits can only be eaten when they have passed this stage. 

Corrida (p61) – bull fighting.

Chamfered (p69) – grooved.