FREE ESSAY ON THOSE WINTER SUNDAYS

THOSE WINTER SUNDAYS

Guilt is the central theme of the poem, Those Winter Sundays.
Upon reading this emotionally steering poem, it leaves the reader reminiscing of one's
own childhood. 
What did I know, what did I know
of love's austere and lonely offices?
The poem's ending echo's a haunting feeling of guilt within the reader's mind. The
question would be guilt of what? Those Winter Sundays, is a poem of a father that worked
very hard to support his family and could not spend very much quality time with them.
This was conveyed from the following line,
Sundays too my father got up early...
However, the poem exposes the love of this father. The house was cold not only in
temperature but in family.
....chronic angers of that house.
What was the reason for these angers? Why did no one ever thank dad for restarting those
banked fires warming the blueblack cold house? Also, dad polished shoes, yet those in the
house spoke indifferently to him.
As a young boy, like most kids, the author did not see the whole picture. What may appear
to have been a stolid home environment was one of love. This love was not one of a father
frolicking with his child which most sons and daughters yearn for but of paternal
devotion and dedication. 
It makes one wonder if this poem was written shortly after the father's death. The author
seems to regret not thanking his dad for what he had done. The author also seems to be
blaming himself for being a naive youngster and not appreciating the love his father
could best express. In an odd retrospect, the poem seems to be a vessel the author uses
to forgive not only his father but himself.
What did I know, what did I know.
The author was probably a father himself by the time he has written this poem. He too has
taken the father role and cannot spend much time with his family. The author now realizes
that such a noble position goes unrecognized. 
Bibliography
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