Death of a Naturalist In this quote he parallels himself to Narcissus, a hunter in Greek Mythology who is cursed to fall in love with his own reflection by the goddess Nemesis after he shuns Echo, an Oread nymph. The reader can see that for a short time after his college experience, Heaney relies on only himself for inspiration. Eventually he realizes his mistake, and unlike Narcissus, is able to bring himself back to reality. Death of a Naturalist was received with mostly positive reviews and helped Heaney gain recognition on an international scale. Several of the poems had been published previously in pamphlets
A Pleasant New Song Betwixt a Sailor and his Love The first eight stanzas are told from the perspective of the sailor, who has just returned home after a long sea voyage. At first, the sailor is worried that his love is angry at him for being away for so long, and that she has vowed not to speak to him when he returns. If that's the case, he promises to leave, but asks her first to kiss him and welcome him home. He goes on to promise that his heart remained fixed on her throughout his journey, that he was always true to her, and that no other woman