Advice to my Son and Those Winter Sundays - Research Paper Example

Comparing between "advice to my son" and " Those winter Sundays" Both poems by Peter Meinke Advice to my Son and Robert Hayden’s Those Winter Sundays spoke of a father’s unconditional love to a son. In Peter Meinke’s Advice to my Son, this was the regular advice of a parent to a child to be prudent or to take it easy as we, the children tends to take the high road or going the extreme which are often reckless and not necessarily good for our sake. This can be gleaned in the poem where Meinke talked of our tendency (from the son’s point of view) “to live your days as if each one may be your last” recognizing the son’s recklessness but also admonishes us to strike a balance  by “at the same time, plan long range”. Robert Hayden’s Those Winter Sundays on the other hand is a domestic masterpiece that spoke of home and the father’s love to a son. He toiled for six days in a week doing the thankless job of a father. The love is done more through the action when the father made the fire which is a symbolism of affection. Then the son reciprocated by repeating “"What did I know, what did I know...?" which is not really a question but rather a statement that evolves from indifference to guilt to admiration. This fatherly love is very pronounced in the opening line that the son was only awakened to dress only when the house has already warmed. The “good shoes” in the poem is more than the literal meaning of children’s wear but rather the father’s careful upbringing of the son as the father polishes it even if the son does not like his fatherly advises “Speaking indifferently to him”. This is a poignant reality that children could be ungrateful to the love and sacrifices that our fathers did for us. Often, we mistook it as a hassle or meddling with our lives when in fact, our father just loves us. As a son, I can relate more to Peter Meinke Advice to my Son especially that line about marrying a pretty girl that goes “Therefore, marry a pretty girl, after seeing her mother;” may sound mundane but is loaded with meanings. It is a figure of speech that young man desires to marry a pretty girl but only commit and love after knowing her thoroughly which explains why he said “after seeing the mother”. The wisdom of the line “Show your soul to one man, [but] work with another;” is timeless. It meant that we have to separate our profession with our personal lives as the best way to go about in both worlds. The people whom we “showed our soul” and thereby knows our weakness are not the ideal people to work with but only to love and it is wise, for our own sake, to work with other people where we show our capability, but not our soul inorder to succeed. It can be likened to a father teaching the son on how to go about the ways of the world where he would not get hurt and where his chances for success will be tremendous. I have been observing the position of the son in both poems and both poems reflected the reality of how sons are. We could be reckless and excessive as well as ungrateful and indifferent. In Robert Hayden’s Those Winter Sundays, it is a little uncomfortable to read it because the poem hinted the reality that sometimes, we are poignantly ungrateful to our father ignoring their secret hopes for us to be well and successful as they shine the “good shoes” for us. Rather than merely talking about it, fathers do the secret sacrifices of warming the house before waking us up so that it will be warmer and comfortable but we do not appreciate it. He does not have to tell us that he took effort first when he lit the furnace nor he has to mentioned that he came from a six days of hard work. Yet we are indifferent and this is little heart wrenching to read as a child who has the tendency to be the character that Hayden described. Moreso, when despite of this ingratitude, our fathers are still there to provide for us, love us, and guide us. I can also identify with the father, how could I not? I may not be a father yet, but I saw my father’s in both the character of Hayden and Meinke. And even as I write this essay, it occurred to me that someday, I may also be doing the same thing as my father does or Hayden and Meinke’s father and receiving the same indifference from my son to the description of Peter Meinke Advice to my Son. But I also take consolation because this indifference evolved from indifference, to guilt until finally, admiration. Peter Meinke Advice to my Son complemented the fatherly love by guiding us on how to tread the world which is beset with trials and pains. Just like Hayden, Meinke would also wanted us to be better but also to be happy. This is evident in the last line that says “and always serve bread with your wine. But son, always serve wine”. It sounds like my own father saying that I should balance things and never forget to have fun in everything that I do which is signified by the statement, “always serve wine”. Finally, both poems just showed the unconditional love of our fathers. They may not talk as much just like our mothers but they are always there, making sure that furnace is lit to warm us up or to provide us the necessary things to make our lives comfortable. Their love is more manifested in their actions and fulfillment of their duties as provider as they work six days in the week in Hayden’s Those Winter Sundays. They may not say “I love you son” that much but they show their affection through the advise they dispense to us that we may live our well and to the fullest. Read More