"Mid-Term Break". A poem by Seamus Heaney which talks about a tragedy happened to a child of four years old: The poem is narrated by a sibling of this dead boy.

In the poem "Mid-Term Break", we can appreciate how heaney tries to arouse the feelings of pity and compassion (for the family). He achieves this by introducing a child who talks in a natural way and uses simple vocabulary. Also, he emphasizes those feelings by creating shoking images. While we read the poem, we can notice how the speaking voice is restraint. This means that he is not showing his feelings towards his dead brother …

…week. This image is very shocking and makes the reader feel sad for the child. Finally, the most important line which confirms us that the child was very young ( four years old ) is the last one of the poem: " A four foot box, a foot for every year". This causes saddness as well as tenderness. To sum up, by the feelings of pity, compation, sadness and others, the author arouse the mood of the poem.