thanhtoong0

thanhtoong0

The Poems of Seamus Heaney review – collected works reveal his colossal achievement

The complete works, including previously unpublished poems and expert notes, are brought together in one volume for the first time

Baudelaire introduced ordinary objects into poetry – likening the sky to a pan lid – and by doing so revolutionised poetic language. Likewise, Seamus Heaney introduced Northern Irish vernacular into the English lyric, peppering his lines with words like glarry, the Ulster word for muddy; kesh, from Irish ceis, a wickerwork causeway; and dailigone, “daylight gone” or dusk, from Ulster-Scots. It is this that gives his writing a mulchy richness and cultural resonance that remain unique in contemporary poetry. One of the key poems in North (1975) is a version of Baudelaire’s The Digging Skeleton, to which Heaney brings an Irish flavour – the skeletons dig the earth “like navvies”. It’s especially rich as digging for Heaney is also a metaphor for writing, while the archaeological metaphor resonates with the darkly symbolic bog poems.

Bringing all Heaney’s poems together in one volume, this collection lets us see for the first time all the archaeological layers that make up his oeuvre, from the talismanic Death of a Naturalist (1966) to the visionary long poem Station Island (1984), on to the parables of The Haw Lantern (1987) and the intimacies of The Human Chain (2010), the last volume published during the poet’s lifetime. A key poem in that collection, Chanson d’Aventure, describes his journey to hospital in an ambulance following a stroke: “Strapped on, wheeled out, forklifted, locked / In position for the drive”. The book also makes available at last Heaney’s prose poems, Stations (1975), released in a small press edition by Ulsterman Publications, which Heaney effectively kept under wraps as he felt the publication of Geoffrey Hill’s Mercian Hymns – “a work of complete authority” – had stolen his thunder in this form.

Ask me to translate what Loeb gives as
“In a retired vale…a sequestered grove”
And I’ll confound the Lethe in Moyola

By coming through Back Park down from Grove Hill
Across Long Rigs on to the riverbank –
Which way, by happy chance, will take me past

Continue reading...

Google’s AI Shopping Feature Now Includes AI-Powered Virtual Shoe Try-Ons

Google has expanded its AI-powered “Try It On” feature to include shoes, letting users preview how footwear would look on them before buying. The tool generates realistic images by asking users to upload a full-length photo. The process mirrors Google’s apparel try-on tool, where users select a shoe listing, tap “Try It On,” and view or share the results. The update builds on Google’s earlier AI clothing try-ons, making online shopping more interactive and personalised.

Luno Pay Partners Scan to Pay to Support Crypto Payments at 700,000 Retail Outlets in South Africa

South Africans can now make everyday purchases using cryptocurrency at nearly 700,000 retail outlets nationwide. Through a partnership between Luno Pay, MoneyBadger, and the Scan to Pay network, consumers can pay with Bitcoin and stablecoins at major chains. Transactions are instantly converted, shielding merchants from volatility risks. This rollout marks one of the most significant expansions of crypto payments in Africa’s retail sector.

Realme Announces Ricoh Imaging Partnership as Realme GT 8 Pro Launch Approaches

Realme on Thursday announced a strategic partnership with camera equipment company Ricoh to bring the tradition of conventional cameras into mobile photography. As part of this collaboration, the two brands will work together to develop imaging systems for Realme handsets, offering deep customisation which is claimed to mimic the feel of a RICOH GR camera. Consequently, the first co-created product will be launched with the Realme GT 8 Pro later this month.