Poetry Comparison Essay

Nora Wiley- Schwartz                                                                                               711

            Not all relationships are simple to define. In the poems “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden and “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, both authors look back at his past relationship with his father. The relationships between parents and children are complicated and so the poems reflect some of the many ways that people end up feeling about their parents.

            The first poem, “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden, it shows a man looking back in regret at his relationship between him and his father. It explains how his father woke up every morning early (even on Sundays) to warm the house for his whole family. It says how he works hard not just for his family but everyday of the week. “… with cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekdays…” (Stanza One) and no one ever thanks him. The speaker says how his father would do well for him and so many others, but got nothing in return. The speaker explains, “speaking indifferently to him, who has driven out the cold, and polished my good shoes as well, what did I know, what did I know, of loves austere and lonely offices?” (Stanza Three) This shows the speaker remembering that he did nothing for his father, and he didn’t know what love really meant. This relationship is upsetting because he wishes he could undo what he couldn’t. It shows his father giving, and him never returning.

            The second poem, “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, it uses imagery to paint a picture of a man looking back with joy at his relationship between him and his father. This father works hard too, but when he comes home he celebrates a day of hard work with whiskey and a small dance with his son. “We romped until the pans slid from the kitchen shelf; my mothers countenance could not unfrown itself.” (Stanza Two) this shows that the boy and father are forming a bond that the mother cannot understand. “You beat time on my head with a hand caked hard by dirt, then waltzed me off to bed, still clinging to your shirt” (Stanza Four). This explains how relationships can be happy, and fun to remember. It shows a father and son bonding before the kid’s bedtime.

            To conclude, although these poems both show a relationship between a father and son the feelings expressed in each poem is very different. One tells the story with regret, the other with joy. I think this shows the reader that all childhood memories are looked at from all sorts of different ways, and every story is different.