In this poem, "Digging", Heaney is trying to establish some form of connection with his father and grandfather (and most probably all the men that came before him). It was the way of his forefathers to farm and work hard to feed the family; but Heaney wishes to do what he feels he is good at - writing. In order to make his work seem worthwhile, he must prove that writing poetry has as much …showed first 75 words of 307 total…

…showed last 75 words of 307 total…poem, it is my belief that Heaney is recognising his father's age. Where once the family scattered potato seed, there is now a "flowerbed". Heaney attempts to come to terms with this by doing his father's equivalent to digging - he only feels even slightly worthy of his father's presence by writing and proving to him that he is a success, in spite of his lack of desire for taking over the plot of land.