A poem I like : A Winter Sunday by Robert Hayden
Sundays too my father got up early
And put his clothes on in the blueback cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.
I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he'd call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,
Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love's austere and lonely offices?
Figurative Language used
And put his clothes on in the blueback cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.
I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he'd call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,
Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love's austere and lonely offices?
Figurative Language used
Cold splintering, breaking – a metaphor. Giving the cold a trait of wood, this can splinter and break. It describes the cold slowly fading off and the house warming up.
lonely offices – personification. Giving the office a human trait of loneliness. Describing the father’s loneliness at work.
Love’s austere – personification. Giving love a human trait of austere. Describing his father’s love as one-sided, grave and sober.
Chronic angers of that house – personification. Giving the house a human trait, that is anger. Shows that the writer was afraid of the house as it gave him a sense of hostility and displeasure.
Gradual warming of house - symbolism. Symbolism of the father's love, warm and sustainable.
Gradual warming of house - symbolism. Symbolism of the father's love, warm and sustainable.
Polished shoes in the cabinet - symbolism. Symbolises the father's love so subtle.
Why I like this poem?
When I read this poem, it gave me a great sense of guilt. The writer feels guilty that he had been indifferent to his father’s when he was young and express his guilt through this poem of his father’s actions and his reactions on a winter Sunday. Although his father loved him and did things like polishing his shoes for him and making the house warm by lighting up a fire, the writer did not treasure his love at all. Instead, he returns his father with a indifferent attitude, which made the father feel heart-broken and lonely.
Sadly, I have been that way to my own father too when I was young. I used to think that he was too old-fashioned and did not respect him. However only recently did I realized that his love for me was so great; everything he did for me was for my good. I should learn to cherish his priceless love.
1 comment:
The poem is nice and real. Thanks for putting it up.
How apt to describe a father's subtle love ; one that resemble the gradual warmth in a cold winter morning , a pair of polished shoes parked inside the cabinet.
It is austere -- plain, simple and restrained.Boring at most times.But yet genuine and real.
I saw a nice Father's Day quote:
"When you was born,
he was there to catch you
and when you fall,
whenever and wherever.
When you said your first words,
He was there for you,
to teach me the whole dictionary if need be.
When you took your first steps,
He was there to encourage you on.
Remember the first day at school, He was there to give you advice and help you with your homework.
You still havent finished school,
or walked down the aisle, or had my first child.
But you know he will be there for you through all these times and more, the good and bad."
He may not know how to express himself clearly and warmly, but he definitely has his son best interest at heart.
The father is constantly struggling and in pain when in the know of something he could have done better but not done. And regret deeply on something he should not have done but did them.
Forgive them at times when they do not behave like a father, for maybe sometime he is still not through being a child himself.
Have you wondered why Fathers shares the same name with our heavenly God Himself?
Cherish him,he is probably the best gift ( besides mother)that God has given to you!
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