"Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden page 2264

This poem about Winter Sundays seems not be about winter Sundays at all. It serves as one of many small examples of the selflessness of the speakers father that were realized through the crystal clear images provided by the lens of hindsight. In the first line Hayden chose the word “too” which carries tremendous meaning. The implication of course is that the speakers father woke early every day of the week, and Sunday which would be a day of rest, was no exception.
As the father woke early and made “banked fires blaze,” he did so with “cracked hands that ached.” Here the poet is showing us the type of man that his father is. He is implying a strong work ethic and lasting endurance in providing for his family through hard manual labor. I believe that when the poet referred to banked fires which were made to blaze that there is also the implication that the coals that were banked were the remnants of his father’s labor the night before when stoking the fire.
Hayden ends the first stanza with the line “No one ever thanked him.” I believe that this was to serve a couple of different purposes. The first and presumably more obvious reason was to illustrate the speaker's remorse for the ingratitude that he as a child had shown. Also for that of the rest of his family. Truly they took for granted the warmth that was provided without acknowledgement. The second purpose I believe the author intended in presenting the omitted thanks, was to show that it was not necessary. This was part of the explanation of his father. He didn’t work hard every day so that he could be praised for his efforts, he did so out of a sense of duty to his family. We can see by the willingness of the speakers father to endure the cold while forgoing the most restful hour of the night that he was truly a selfless man. He abstained from those small luxuries to afford them to those he loved.
When the speaker awoke it was not to the call of his father. It was to the sound of the crackling wood as the cold splinters succumbed to the persistent flames. Then as the speaker laid in the warm bed he waited to hear his father’s call. When his father called it was to give the “all clear” to the household to let them know that the cold demons of the night had been exercised. Then it was safe for his family to rise. The young Hayden would then rise slowly. This too I feel is an important piece of information. Later in the poem we are told that his father had not only prepared the warm home for him, but also that he had taken the time to polish the boys shoes. In doing this the father has also afforded the boy the luxury of rising slowly to prepare for church. The tedious chore of shoe polishing which presumably would be necessary to look his Sunday best was already taken care of.
In the final stanza the author reiterates the ingratitude toward his father as he mentions the indifferent way he spoke to him. Then twice he asks “what did I know.” I believe that the first was to address the lack of gratitude that was shown, along with the associated remorse. The second time the author asks the question I believe served the purpose of addressing the character of his father and the role he played in the family. “Love’s austere and lonely office” was held by the father. Love and compassion for his family was shown through a strict routine which seemed to be completely void of selfish pleasure. The speaker referred to the role of the father as an office to indicate the sense of duty felt by the father and entitlement by the family, a realization appreciated through the perspective of hindsight.