Read the following lines from "Clearances." "So while the parish priest at her bedside Went hammer and tongs at the prayers for the dying" The poet used the phrase "Went hammer and tongs" Most Likely To Imply That
Hammer and tongs were the tools of the blacksmiths, which had to be very strong and energetic in their work.
Becasue of this "tongs and hammer" evoke the imagery of strengh and vehemence. So this means that the parish priest was very loud and vehement about the prayers.
