The poem "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden evoked quite a bit of sympathy from the reader. The son talked about his father with admiration. He described how ""Sundays too my father got up early" (781) describing that his father worked endlessly through the weekend. The way he writes this one short line shows his respect and gratefulness to his father for working even on Sundays.
The author managed to evoke sympathy for both the son and the father. During the line I mentioned earlier, I felt bad for the father. I felt sorry that he not only had to work so much, but that he could not stay with his son or family. Also Robert says "No one ever thanked him" (781). This line shows how his son truly does respect and appreciate what his father does, but his father simply does not get the praise. However, I also felt sorry for the son. He recalls "slowly I would rise and dress, fearing the chronic angers of that house" (781). This line made me turn from feeling sorry for the dad to being more on the son's side. Maybe the father is not as appreciated as I had previously thought because of his angry temper or way of raising his son.
The last line of the poem offered a bit of clarification but also raised more questions. It reads "what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices" (782). This line leads me to believe that, even though his father is mean or unloving, the son still respects him for what he does for himself and the family.
This poem shows a seemingly typical relationship between a father and a son in our society today.
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