The idea of being passive and absent from the world is also seen in Seamus Heaney’s poem “Digging”. In the second stanza it describes Seamus watching his father digging with expertise, “I look down”. In both the poems the people are absent and passive, watching from a distance and trying to fully absorb what they are seeing or hearing.
While the man is being read to in “Miracle on St David's Day” “he rocks gently to the rhythms of the poems”. By the man rocking to rhythm it is as though he were in a trance, the words making him remember the past. It is by the words of the poem that he starts remembering and, in doing so, the memories give him life. “…word-perfect…the labourer’s voice recites ‘The Daffodils’…” In “Miracle on St David's Day” the idea of change is presented by the man; at first he was dumb and passive though, by hearing, absorbing and recalling the words of the poem he finds life through speaking. The use of rhythm in the poem also presents change.
Similarly to “Miracle on St David's Day”, the idea of rhythm and memories giving life is seen in “Digging”. Seamus Heaney describes watching his father “stooping in rhythm through potato drills where he was digging”. Another example of rhythm being used is when Heaney’s father keeps digging, “going down and down”. This not only presents rhythm, it is also symbolism of Heaney himself; he is digging up the memories and uncovering life, giving him life. Like the man in “Miracle on St David's Day”, Heaney changes and is given life “through living roots”. The word roots and the whole idea of digging are metaphors of Heaney discovering himself for his roots are where his family comes from and who he is, his identity. This means that, for these two men, recalling the memories gives them life, they discover themselves.
The man in “Miracle on St David's Day” discovers himself through remembering “forty years ago, in…school” when “the class recited poetry by rote”. He discovers himself again by speaking words. The idea of change is seen throughout the poem; at first he cannot speak, then he remembers life and finally he speaks. He changes as he discovers himself through spoken word, through gaining life again.
On the other hand, Heaney, in “Digging” discovers himself by writing words. The idea of change is seen when he remembers the past and uncovers and discovers himself through written word, “between my finger and thumb the squat pen rests”.
In “Digging” the author writes this poem about a Father digging potatoes. The poem reveals the great admiration and respect for how the hardworking characteristics of his Father and Grandfather. Heaney reveals the tremendous skill in digging and conveys certain artistry in this physical act. Heaney was from Ireland, and at the time described in the poem Irishmen were well known for digging, it was tradition, culture and the way of life. Though the idea of change is seen again when Seamus Heaney says he has “no spade to follow men like them”. Here Heaney has decided to not follow his family tradition and dig with a spade. He thinks that words are powerful and describes his pen resting in his hand as “snug as a gun”, guns being powerful; words being powerful. By the end, when Heaney has discovered himself through the memories he says, “Between my finger and my thumb the squat pen rests. I’ll dig with it”. The idea of change is seen here when symbolism of the pen and the spade is used; both dig to uncover and discover. Heaney decides to go against the stereotypical Irish career of potato farming, he sees power in digging with his pen and discovers himself through doing so.
In both poems the idea of change is presented. In “Digging” metaphors and symbolism is used to present this change. In “Miracle on St David's Day” contrasts are used to present change. Also, in both the poems, rhythm is used, presenting change. Overall, change is seen when the two men discover their identity. In both poems memories are used to awaken their minds for self-discovery. The two men change for they gain life; they discover their lives and uncover their identity by digging deeper through words.