The Skunk : Summary
The Skunk is a notable literary work by Seamus Heaney. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of The Skunk.
Summary
Here the poet begins the poem by describing a speaker. The speaker tells how a skunk lives in his house and always hangs out on his porch. He is very proud of this animal and always tries to see it roaming around his yard. While inside the house he repeatedly looks out the window towards his balcony and spends a lot of time looking so that he can see the creature on his balcony through the window.
But the second part of the poem makes it clear that the animal the speaker refers to as a skunk is referring to his wife. The poet says that his wife is as simple and mysterious as he is mysterious and elusive. Towards the end of the poem, it is understood that he and his wife have once again begun to walk together and roam around the walls of his room.