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When Seamus Heaney died, I had an attack of the guilts and rooted out some of his poetry books that I had previously bought and failed to read. I picked The Cure at Troy as I'd attended an event in UCD at which Bill Clinton had raved about the poem – the story of Philoctetes who was left marooned on an island by Odysseus because he had a disgusting, stinking ulcer on his foot that caused him to howl and moan. It's famous for the "hope and history rhyme" line, but Clinton picked on Philoctetes’ claim that even though he spent 10 miserable years on the island, "it was a fortunate wind that blew me here".
His point: Philoctetes could only be free once he had moved past his self-pity and recognised that his suffering had forced him to become a better person. It was written with Nelson Mandela in mind – as he moved on graciously from his prison sentence, thus enabling South Africa to end apartheid peacefully. He had to let go of his suffering to free himself and others. I couldn't help feeling it was also a lecture to other victims, particularly those in the Troubles – that indulgence in the past was an unproductive path.
To be honest, I had to take a few goes at it, but now I keep it in my bag and read it any chance I get. The whole thing is incredible. It's long for a poem, short for a play and contains profound human truths and amazing insights.
The opening lines in particular are a kick in the behind to the streams of victims who occupy our airwaves and columns. I know life is a struggle these days, but it's also true that the greatest number of people in western civilisation have the most money, the best health, the longest lives and the greatest freedoms and rights than at any time in our history. Some people really have suffered injustice, but others, as Heaney says, lick their wounds, "flashing them around like decorations".
As I watched the recent hysteria over homophobia unfold, it was as if the poem had been written prophetically. But you'll recognise the theme any time - well rehearsed self-pity is preached piously from the pulpits of broadcasting and publishing. We had pretty much given up doing a poem on Talking Point, but I asked Jonathan McCrea to read it. Naturally, he gave it plenty of welly and did a smashing job.
Listen to Futureproof presenter Jonathan McCrea read The Cure at Troy
This article originally appeared in Newstalk Magazine for iPad in March, for more details go here.
