
“Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden and “forgiving my father” by Lucille Clifton deal with one of the most basic and human relationships that most people experience, the relationship with one’s father.  However, the narrators had both very different relationships with their fathers, as Robert Hayden’s narrator had a very strong bond with his dad, while Lucille Clifton’s narrator was very bitter towards her father. Despite the difference in relationships, both poems have a central theme of forgiveness. Hayden’s character had a very hard-working and loving father, and he must forgive himself for not thanking his dad enough when he was alive. In Clifton’s work, the daughter is bitter towards her father because she feels he was not a strong father, but she works to forgive him. Despite the difference in stories, the main theme in both works is the theme of forgiveness. 

The narrator in “Those Winter Sundays” had a good relationship with his father. He explains how his “father got up early…in the blueblack cold” (Hayden 1-2), and worked very hard to make him and his family comfortable. He talks about how his father would cut wood for the fire, and polish his son’s shoes. The father did everything he could so that his family was comfortable and happy. Even though the dad worked so hard, the narrator also says that, “No one ever thanked him” (Hayden 2).  Presumably after his father passes away, he is now struggling with the internal battle of not being appreciative enough of his father. He never stopped to thank him and let him know that he was thankful for all the work he did and sacrifices he made for the family.  He must now work to forgive himself. 

Clifton’s character was not very close with her father. At the beginning of the poem, she is angry towards her father for not doing everything he can for his family, calling him, an “old liar” (Clifton 10). She feels like her father left them, and did not provide for his family like he should. In the second stanza, the daughter begins to be understanding and tries to forgive her father. She explains how he did not know how to be a father, because his father was also not a good father. She no longer blames him, and forgives him for the hardships he put her family through. 

The common theme of the two poems is forgiveness. Hayden’s narrator had a close relationship with his father because of how hard working he was for the family. His father did everything he could do help his family. Clifton’s narrator was not close to her father because he did not provide well for his family. Hayden’s character did not say thanks to his father for everything that he did, and now he regrets it and must work to forgive himself. Clifton’s character works to forgive her father for the wrongs he committed by understanding he never had a strong role model to teach him how to be a father.

The main message through both poems is very similar, despite the clear differences. The main message is to be willing to forgive and not hold onto grudges, despite what has happened in the past. Hayden’s narrator has made mistakes with his life, and now realizes he must appreciate the things his father did for him and his family. Clifton’s character works to forgive her father, and to let go of the grudges she has held onto because of what she feels her father has done to her. The theme points the fact that mistakes happen, and to be happy with oneself one must forgive and learn from negative past experiences. 
