Amity International School

Summary of Those Winter Sundays

 Popularity of “Those Winter Sundays”: This poem was written
by Robert Hayden, a famous American poet. It is popular
because of its thematic strands of love and ingratitude. It was
first published in 1962. The poem illustrates the speaker’s love
for his late father and also provides the reality of the father-
son relationship. However, the popularity of the poem lies that
it deals with the sacrifices parents make for their children.
 “Those Winter Sundays” As a Representative of Love: In this
poem, the speaker recollects some praise-worthy memories of
his late father. He recalls how his father used to get up early
on wintry Sundays to light up the fire with his cracked hands
for the comfort of the family. Once the house was warm, he
used to wake his son to get dressed. The father often scolded
him for his better health. The choice of words suggests that
he was an unthankful child who could not acknowledge his
father’s struggle. Thus, the speaker regrets at his indifferent
behavior with his father. Now, as an adult, he looks back and
recollects some precious moments of his father’s life to
express his gratitude.
 Major Themes in “Those Winter Sundays”: Love, regret, and
parenthood are the major themes in the poem. The poet
provides some glimpses of his father’s struggle. He elaborates
how his father used to spend his Sundays dutifully. He takes
every pain to bring comfort at home and fulfill his
responsibility as a father. However, the poet feels sorry that
he could not regard his father’s sacrifices.