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S
scribbler
Jun 25, 2020 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)
This poem is part of the workshop:

Titles

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Poem without it's title (title shop)

Sundays ,too, my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueback cold
then with cracked hands that ached
from weather 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?

By Robert Hayden

About This Poem

Last Few Words: OK, let's find some fitting titles

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft

About the Author

Region, Country: South Carolina, United States, USA

Favorite Poets: Frost, Burns, Longfellow, Poe, and Johnson. I guess you've noticed these are all past masters. Other than folks on site I don't read any contemporary poets .

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Comments

S

scribbler

5 years ago

Do

You mean"mechanical hands"?

Lavender

Lavender

5 years ago

Hello, Scribbler

I was going to go with Weathered Hands, but there is already another poem with that title. My second choice would be Warmed Rooms.
L

S

scribbler

5 years ago

Good response ya'll. Now it's time to defend your titles

My defense is simple enough. This poem sounds to me like it's about a grown child looking back on a stern father who showed his love Only in the stuff he did for his family. In retrospect the adult child finally understands that the simple task of starting the morning fires was his departed father's way of saying "I love you"

Rula

Rula

5 years ago

My thoughts

I think fathers have always got some hidden love. They sometimes shy to show with words, but how can kids see this love? Our protagonist is not an exception, he underestimated his father's deeds.
The father here is the angel that the child under valued what he does for the family, hence come the underestimated angel.

Lavender

Lavender

5 years ago

Hello!

The poem speaks of the coldness a great deal, and I see those weathered hands working in the cold, and then also preventing the discomfort of the cold. For me, the warmed room was not only a physical consoling, but given warmly and unconditionally as an act of love and care.
Thank you!
L

S

scribbler

4 years 12 months ago

Hello

Now that you have explained your choice it makes sense especially if the reader give the poem more than a cursory thought

Geezer

Geezer

5 years ago

I have to admit...

I stole my title from the defense of Scribbler's title, and I use the same defense! ~ Geez.

S

scribbler

4 years 12 months ago

THIEF ! THIEF! lol

Not to worry, to have given a good enough defense to have another use it is a compliment in my opinion..

S

scribbler

4 years 12 months ago

Hey Ted

A good choice. And your defense is clear

S

scribbler

4 years 12 months ago

Author's Title :

"THOSE WINTER SUNDAYS".....do ya'll think his title matches the strength of the poem?

S

scribbler

4 years 12 months ago

Author's Title :

"THOSE WINTER SUNDAYS".....do ya'll think his title matches the strength of the poem?

Lavender

Lavender

4 years 12 months ago

Those Winter Sundays

Hi, Scribbler,
Yes, I actually like Robert Hayden's title a lot. It implies there were many winter Sundays, which kind of implies that the Sundays were much like every other day of the week. I see this father as devoted, maybe not affectionate, but devoted. Great topic!
Thank you!
L

S

scribbler

4 years 12 months ago

Hmmm....

This displays how 2 people can interpret a title in different ways. Being a simple man I thought that since the author titled it as happening on Sunday that the father only did these things on Sunday.

S

scribbler

4 years 12 months ago

Hi Alan

Me and typos............I had to type this poem by hand (well, finger) from a book. And it can be pretty certain that almost any poet who has been published will be known by at least one poet in a group of poets.

S

scribbler

4 years 12 months ago

opinions

are all anybody has when it comes to titles lol. I actually think this poem IS a positive one. As the title implies it is about Sundays but it's also about a grown man coming to peace with his memories of his father