The Lammas Hireling - Ian Duhig

contemporary poetry

What is the main idea of The Lammas Hireling?

guilt, transgression and human desire are confusing and haunting; the speaker seeks absolution but may be unreliable

What mood is created at the start with “After the fair, I’d still a light heart / And a heavy purse”?

Carefree, lucky, and positive; the speaker thinks the hireling brings prosperity

How does the poem shift in stanza two?

Volta - positivity turns dark; the speaker appears mentally disturbed and events become strange

What is suggested by “Disturbed from dreams of my dear late wife / I hunted down her torn voice to his pale form”?

Confusion of identity and gender fluidity; possibly hints at violence or guilt

How is the hireling described as mysterious?

Called a “warlock” and “a cow with leather horns,” blending human and animal traits, creating intrigue and unease

What might the homoerotic elements suggest?

The speaker may have feelings for the hireling, adding a motive for murder or guilt

What happens in the lines “I carried him / In a sack that grew lighter at every step / And dropped him from a bridge. There was no / Splash” ?

suggests the speaker feels relief, but also raises doubts about the hireling’s existence and what actually happened

How does the poem end with the confessional?

The speaker seeks absolution but may never find it, as he hasn’t fully admitted the truth even to himself