Labor and Craftsmanship

In some ways, “Digging” is an ode to the concept of fine craftsmanship as a whole. The poem is a celebration of labor and laborers, with the speaker finding inspiration to write in the artistry, precision, and commitment their family displays in their work. In the poem’s opening, the speaker is about to begin writing. However, they’re distracted by the sound of their father digging the potato drills as he has since the speaker’s childhood. The way the speaker stops to examine their father’s work shows an admiration and even a sense of mystified awe for the technique. They stop to consider the finer details of the work: “The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft / Against the inside knee was levered firmly” (Lines 10-11). This is more than simple yard work; this is a craft handed down through...