Those Winter Sundays

"No one ever thanked him." - Robert Hayden

Question #6 on the handout states: "What is the central purpose of the poem, the poet's fictional point?" This poem is about misunderstanding and later regretting that. The speaker was always timid about their father, thinking he was angry and scary. Looking back, they realized he was simply tired from working so hard to provide for his family. While reminiscing, the author realized they did not treat their father with the respect he deserved. I think the dark and bleak imagery relates back to the purpose that the speaker feels bad for how they mistreated their father. The speaker's words echo the idea that they are filled with regret as they look back on their past. They seem almost ashamed of the way they treated their father, who worked so hard to provide for his family.