Those Winter Sundays 1, 4

The poem Those Winter Sundays written by Robert Hayden contains a short insight into a life during wintertime. This poem builds up a household run by a father that cares for his son. The diction used throughout displayed the dedication and care that this father has for his son. The details included a lot about the poor conditions that the father was living under. His physical condition came off as worn out and his emotional condition seemed one that was enduring a lot. Line 14 included the words, "Austere and lonely offices"(14) to describe the reminiscing on the appreciation that the son now wishes he would have had for his fathers actions. It comes off that he is disappointed in the way that he treated his father in the past. His neglect towards the good deeds his father had done for him now is bringing forth emotions that contain dissatisfaction and remorse. A change in spirit has occurred in the span that has happened between the father doing these actions and the looking back on the actions. Because of the repetition in line 13, I have come to the conclusion that his father has passed away. It seems that it took some serious thought to come to the reality that he really did love and miss the actions that his father took. The description of love as austere and lonely seemed to be the knowledge of how tough life really is for one to endure.