“Like dolmens round my childhood, the old people.”

§ Deals with – unusual people – inhabited poet’s childhood – Garvaghey, Tyrone – fully human individuals – misery and suffering – possessing faith and life – isolated, lonely
§ Dolmens – symbolic meaning – connotations of death, imprisonment, access to other things and places – image – scattered around landscape like figures of stone
§ Forbidding – abnormal – grotesque – primitive – carry on pagan traditions
§ Poet’s attitude – sympathises – appeal as figures of friendliness – understands motives
Proclaims his direct experience of a supposed idealised Ireland – pride
§ Liberated from fearful grip by experience – standing stones – old peoples and dreams pass – become myth – lasting impression on formation of poet’s personality and outlook
§ Sinister, grotesque – associated with pagan customs