How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
This wizened earth has never troubled us
With hay, so as you see, there are no stacks
Or stooks that can be lost. (3-5)
The earth is dried up and there is no hay (or anything else, really). Nature isn't giving these people anything at all. It's pretty stingy, actually. That's a bit unusual for a poem with nature at the focus. Heaney's twice upended our expectations: with the title we thought we might be getting some tropical paradise, and now he's debunking the idea that nature is this generous and bountiful thing. In this case, nature's pretty harsh, in fact.
Quote #2
[…] Nor are there trees
Which might prove company when it blows full (5-6)
If the people considered looking to nature for company, they'd better look again. There are no trees either. These lines really work to establish a sense of isolation. Not only are these people on an island, but the island itself is kind of desolate.
Quote #3
Blast: you know what I mean—leaves and branches
Can raise a tragic chorus in a gale (7-8)
Not only is nature not very good company, but it's pretty threatening too. The sound of the wind sounds spooky. When Heaney opens line 7 with "Blast," it's as if the wind is assaulting us with its force. Take cover, everybody, Mother Nature isn't in a very friendly mood today.