Those Winter Sundays and When All the Others Essay Example

cold and painful hands from working all week, yet still continue this routine every Sunday.

The father's dedication to his family is evident as he willingly endures the frigid temperatures, sacrificing his own body for his son. Despite the thankless nature of his duties, such as rising early, tending to the fire, and diligently polishing his shoes each week, no one ever expresses gratitude towards him. The poet utilizes adjectives such as 'blue black' or 'splintering' to vividly depict the intense coldness experienced, which could also symbolize the strained relationship between father and son. Through the use of impactful words like 'cracked' and 'ached', the poet conveys the palpable tension and anger that exists between them. Without his father's efforts in igniting the banked fire, the entire household would awaken to a chilling environment.

The father sacrifices his own comfort in order to ensure the warmth of the rest of the household. When the son awakens, he hears the sound of sticks burning on the fire, symbolizing the cold being shattered. The father would summon him only when the rooms were warm, prompting the writer to rise and dress. However, the poet would delay getting up for as long as possible due to his fear of encountering his father's chronic angers in that house. This is the only instance of anger mentioned in the poem.

The poet employs the phrase 'that house' to convey a sense of fear, indicating his discomfort in referring to it as his own. Furthermore, the poet portrays his interaction with his father as indifferent, revealing a lack of concern. Employing a metaphor, the poet dramatically illustrates how his father would 'drive out the

cold', exaggerating his father's daily ritual of lighting a fire to transform the cold and dark into warmth and light. Additionally, the poet notes that his father would 'polish his shoes', displaying his father's attempts at thoughtfulness. To emphasize this point, the poet employs repetition with the phrase, 'what did I know, what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices?' The use of the word 'offices' suggests responsibilities or tasks associated with love. The question is rhetorical, and through it, the poet expresses remorse.

The author expresses remorse for not being able to reconcile with his father and express gratitude for his father's actions. In "When all the others," the writer highlights the close bond with his mother by saying 'I was all hers.' Unlike the previous poem, where the writer avoids their parent, the act of peeling potatoes demonstrates quality time spent together. The silence during their potato peeling session is broken, indicating a lack of tension. The writer uses a simile to describe the potatoes falling, comparing it to solder weeping off a soldering iron, emphasizing the room's quietness except for occasional sounds of potatoes hitting water. 'Cold comforts set between us' implies that peeling potatoes is comforting and familiar to both parties, possibly symbolizing a silent yet secure relationship.

The poet reminisces about his childhood, where he and his mother would peel potatoes together. The poet is fascinated by how dazzling the potatoes appear as they are submerged in a bucket of clean water, using the word "gleaming" to express their brilliance. Despite the laborious nature of the task, the poet finds pleasure in it, as evidenced by the description of the

splashes as "pleasant." The first part of the poem, known as the octave, focuses on these childhood memories and the physical characteristics of the potatoes. However, the tone shifts in the sestet when the poet fast-forwards to a later time when the room is filled with other people. In this scene, the poet's mother is gravely ill and attended by the parish priest at her deathbed. The poet conveys his mother's deteriorating condition through the presence of the priest. Describing the prayers for the dead, the poet uses the phrase "went at hammer and tongs" to emphasize their rapid pace and babbling nature, which often occurs in these solemn moments.

'Some were responding' to these prayers 'and some were crying' away from the rest. The poet experienced a poignant moment with their parent, recalling 'her head bent toward my head, her breath in mine.' In contrast, the first poem expresses the poet's regret for not having the chance to show gratitude towards their father, but it was too late. Heaney reflects that they 'were never closer the whole rest of our lives,' indicating that their parent did not live long afterwards. Both poems exhibit skillful writing techniques, employing a diverse range of words and phrases that effectively set the mood. Considering these factors, I favor the first poem, "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden. It resonates with me on a personal level.

I can relate to the feeling of remorse described by the poet, especially when it becomes too late to apologize or discuss a regretful incident. The poem effectively sets the atmosphere with impactful words like 'chronic' and 'ache'. Furthermore, I find this poem easier

to comprehend and connect with.