Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden - Poem / Poetry Appreciation / Exercises on Poem / Question-Answer on Poem / Theme and Summary of Poem / Poem Analysis

Those Winter Sundays 

Poet: Robert Hayden

Sundays too my father got up early

and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,

then with cracked hands that ached

from labor in the weekday weather made

banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.

When the rooms were warm, he'd call,

and slowly I would rise and dress,

fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him,

who had driven out the cold

and polished my good shoes as well.

What did I know, what did I know

of love's austere and lonely offices?

Vocabulary List 

Ached (Suffered a continuous, dull pain) [ব্যথা করত], And (Along with) [এবং], Angers (Strong feelings of annoyance) [রাগ/ক্রোধ], Austere (Severe or strict in manner) [কঠোর/অনাড়ম্বর], Banked (Piled up with coals to burn slowly) [জমানো], Blaze (Burn fiercely or brightly) [জ্বলে ওঠা], Blueblack (Extremely dark and cold) [ঘন কালচে নীল/প্রচণ্ড ঠান্ডা], Breaking (Separating into pieces) [ভেঙে যাওয়া/কাটা], Call (Cry out to) [ডাকা], Chronic (Persisting for a long time) [দীর্ঘস্থায়ী], Clothes (Items worn to cover the body) [পোশাক], Cold (Of or at a low temperature) [ঠান্ডা/শীতল], Cracked (Having suffered a break or split) [ফাটল ধরা], Did (Performed an action) [করেছিল], Dress (Put on clothes) [পোশাক পরা], Driven (Forced to move or flee) [তাড়িয়ে দেওয়া], Early (Done before the usual time) [ভোরে/তাড়াতাড়ি], Ever (At any time) [কখনো], Father (A male parent) [বাবা/পিতা], Fearing (Being afraid of) [ভয় পাওয়া], Fires (Combustion or burning) [আগুন], From (Indicating the point of origin) [থেকে], Good (To be desired or approved of) [ভালো], Got (Obtained or acquired; rose) [উঠেছিল], Had (Possessed) [ছিল], Hands (The end part of a person's arm) [হাতগুলো], Hear (Perceive with the ear) [শোনা], Him (Objective form of he) [তাকে], House (A building for human habitation) [বাড়ি], I (First person pronoun) [আমি], I'd (I would) [আমি করতাম/শুনতাম], In (Expressing the situation of being enclosed) [ভিতরে], Indifferently (Having no particular interest) [উদাসীনভাবে], Know (Be aware of) [জানা/বোঝা], Labor (Hard physical work) [শ্রম/কঠোর পরিশ্রম], Lonely (Sad because one has no company; isolated) [একাকী/নিঃসঙ্গ], Love's (Belonging to love) [ভালোবাসার], Made (Formed by putting parts together) [তৈরি করেছিল], My (Belonging to me) [আমার], No (Not any) [না/কেউ না], Of (Expressing relationship) [এর], Offices (Services, duties, or tasks) [দায়িত্ব/কাজ], On (Physically in contact with; wearing) [উপরে/পরিহিত], One (A single person) [একজন], Out (Moving away from a place) [বাইরে], Polished (Made smooth and shiny) [পালিশ করেছিল], Put (Place in a particular position) [পরেছিল], Rise (Get up from sleep) [জেগে ওঠা], Rooms (Divisions of a building) [কক্ষগুলো], Shoes (Coverings for the feet) [জুতো], Slowly (At a slow speed) [ধীরে ধীরে], Speaking (Conveying information in spoken language) [কথা বলা], Splintering (Breaking into small, sharp fragments) [টুকরো টুকরো হওয়া], Sundays (The day of rest) [রবিবারগুলো], Thanked (Expressed gratitude to) [ধন্যবাদ জানিয়েছিল], That (Used to identify a specific thing) [ঐ/সেই], The (Definite article) [টি/টা], Then (After that) [তারপর], Those (Plural of that) [ঐগুলো/সেই], Too (In addition; also) [ও/তাছাড়া], Up (Toward a higher place) [উপরে], Wake (Emerge from sleep) [জেগে ওঠা], Warm (At a comfortably high temperature) [উষ্ণ/গরম], Weather (State of the atmosphere) [আবহাওয়া], Weekday (Any day of the week except weekend) [সপ্তাহের কাজের দিন], Well (In a good way; also) [ভালোভাবে/ও], What (Asking for information) [কী], When (At what time) [যখন], Who (What person) [যে/যিনি], Winter (The coldest season) [শীতকাল], Would (Past of will) [করতাম].

Verse Paraphrase and Translation

English Verse	Paraphrase	Bangla Meaning
Sundays too my father got up early / and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,	Even on Sundays, his day of rest, my father woke up before dawn and dressed in the freezing, dark cold.	রবিবারেও আমার বাবা ভোরে উঠতেন এবং তীব্র, কালচে নীল শীতে পোশাক পরতেন,
then with cracked hands that ached / from labor in the weekday weather made / banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.	Despite his hands constantly hurting from brutal manual labor all week, he dutifully started the fireplace to warm the house. Nobody ever expressed gratitude to him.	সপ্তাহের কাজের দিনের শ্রমে ফেটে যাওয়া ও ব্যথায় ভরা হাত দিয়ে তিনি জমানো আগুন জ্বালাতেন। কেউ কখনো তাকে ধন্যবাদ দেয়নি।
I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking. / When the rooms were warm, he'd call,	I would wake up listening to the cold air cracking as the heat fought it. Only after the entire house was comfortably warm would he call me to get out of bed.	আমি জেগে উঠতাম এবং শুনতাম ঠান্ডা যেন টুকরো টুকরো হয়ে ভাঙছে। যখন ঘরগুলো উষ্ণ হতো, তখন তিনি ডাকতেন,
and slowly I would rise and dress, / fearing the chronic angers of that house,	I would get out of bed sluggishly and put on my clothes, dreading the constant tension, harshness, and unspoken arguments in our home.	এবং ধীরে ধীরে আমি উঠতাম ও পোশাক পরতাম, সেই বাড়ির দীর্ঘস্থায়ী ক্ষোভকে ভয় পেয়ে,
Speaking indifferently to him, / who had driven out the cold / and polished my good shoes as well.	I would talk to him without any warmth, completely ignoring that he had just warmed the house and even affectionately shined my best shoes for me.	তার সাথে উদাসীনভাবে কথা বলতাম, যিনি ঠান্ডা তাড়িয়েছিলেন এবং আমার ভালো জুতোগুলোও পালিশ করে রেখেছিলেন।
What did I know, what did I know / of love's austere and lonely offices?	As a child, I was completely ignorant and unaware of the silent, strict, and uncelebrated duties that true parental love often requires.	আমি কী-ই বা জানতাম, আমি কী জানতাম ভালোবাসার কঠোর এবং একাকী দায়িত্বগুলো সম্পর্কে?

Summary

Robert Hayden’s poem "Those Winter Sundays" is a poignant reflection of a grown man looking back at his childhood, realizing the unappreciated sacrifices of his hardworking father. The speaker recalls how, even on Sundays, his father would wake up early in the bitter, dark cold. Despite his hands aching from brutal physical labor during the week, the father would dutifully build a fire to warm the house. Tragically, no one ever thanked him. The child speaker would wake up only when the house was warm and treat his father with indifference, burdened by the overarching tension and fear of their household. The father's profound love was expressed through silent, practical acts of service, such as warming the house and polishing his son's shoes. In the concluding lines, the adult speaker expresses deep regret for his childhood ignorance, finally understanding that true love often consists of severe, solitary duties and quiet sacrifices that go completely unnoticed by those receiving them.

 [রবার্ট হেইডেনের "দোজ উইন্টার সানডেইজ" কবিতাটি একজন প্রাপ্তবয়স্ক মানুষের তার শৈশব এবং তার বাবার অকৃতজ্ঞ আত্মত্যাগের প্রতি এক মর্মস্পর্শী স্মৃতিচারণ। বক্তা স্মরণ করেন কীভাবে, এমনকি রবিবারেও—তার বাবা তীব্র, অন্ধকার শীতে খুব ভোরে ঘুম থেকে উঠতেন। সারা সপ্তাহ কঠোর শারীরিক পরিশ্রমে তার হাতগুলো ব্যথায় ফেটে যাওয়া সত্ত্বেও, বাবা তার পরিবারের জন্য ঘর গরম করতে দায়িত্বের সাথে আগুন জ্বালাতেন। দুঃখজনকভাবে, কেউ তাকে কখনো ধন্যবাদ দেয়নি। শিশু বক্তা কেবল তখনই ঘুম থেকে উঠত যখন ঘর গরম হতো এবং সে তার বাবার সাথে উদাসীনভাবে আচরণ করত, কারণ তাদের বাড়ির দীর্ঘস্থায়ী উত্তেজনা এবং ক্ষোভ তাকে ভীত রাখত। বাবার গভীর ভালোবাসা কোনো স্নেহপূর্ণ কথার মাধ্যমে নয়, বরং ঘর উষ্ণ করা এবং ছেলের জুতো পালিশ করার মতো নীরব, ব্যবহারিক সেবার মাধ্যমে প্রকাশ পেত। সমাপনী পংক্তিতে, প্রাপ্তবয়স্ক বক্তা তার শৈশবের অজ্ঞতার জন্য গভীর অনুশোচনা প্রকাশ করেন, অবশেষে বুঝতে পারেন যে সত্যিকারের ভালোবাসা প্রায়শই কঠোর, একাকী দায়িত্ব এবং নীরব আত্মত্যাগের সমন্বয়ে গঠিত যা গ্রহণকারীদের কাছে প্রায়ই পুরোপুরি অলক্ষ্যে থেকে যায়।]

Theme

The central theme of the poem is the silent, unappreciated nature of parental sacrifice and the delayed realization of love. It contrasts the quiet, practical duties of a father's love with a child's ignorance and inability to recognize it at the time. The poem powerfully illustrates that true love is not always expressed through outward affection or words, but often through "austere and lonely offices"—hard, selfless acts performed daily without the expectation of praise or gratitude.

[কবিতাটির মূলভাব হলো পিতামাতার আত্মত্যাগের নীরব, অকৃতজ্ঞ প্রকৃতি এবং ভালোবাসার বিলম্বিত উপলব্ধি। এটি বাবার ভালোবাসার শান্ত, ব্যবহারিক দায়িত্বগুলোর সাথে শিশুর অজ্ঞতা এবং তা উপলব্ধি করতে অক্ষমতার বৈপরীত্য তুলে ধরে। কবিতাটি শক্তভাবে চিত্রিত করে যে সত্যিকারের ভালোবাসা সবসময় বাহ্যিক স্নেহ বা কথার মাধ্যমে প্রকাশ পায় না, বরং প্রায়শই "কঠোর এবং একাকী কাজ"-এর মাধ্যমে প্রকাশ পায়—যা কোনো প্রশংসা বা কৃতজ্ঞতার প্রত্যাশা ছাড়াই প্রতিদিন করা নিঃস্বার্থ আত্মত্যাগ।]

Short Answer Questions on- "Peace" by George Herbert

1. What physical sacrifices does the father make for his family every Sunday?

The father wakes up extremely early, even on his day off, to build fires and warm the house before the rest of the family gets up. The poet describes his hands as being "cracked" and aching from his hard labor during the week. Despite his own physical pain and the freezing temperatures, he performs these "lonely offices" of love without complaining, ensuring his family's comfort.

2. What is the significance of the phrase "blueblack cold"?

The term "blueblack" suggests a cold that is so intense it feels heavy and bruised. It paints a picture of the early morning darkness when the temperature is at its lowest. By using this color-coded imagery, the poet makes the cold feel like a physical enemy that the father must fight against every morning to protect his children.

3. Why does the speaker say "No one ever thanked him"?

This line highlights the theme of unappreciated labor. As a child, the speaker took his father’s hard work for granted. He saw the warm house and the polished shoes as normal things, not realizing the physical toll they took on his father. Looking back as an adult, the speaker feels a deep sense of regret for the indifference he showed toward his father’s quiet sacrifices.

4. How does the father show his love for the speaker in a non-verbal way?

The father’s love is shown through action rather than words. He doesn't say "I love you," but he expresses it by braving the "splintering, breaking" cold to warm the rooms and by "polishing my good shoes." These small, repetitive acts of service are his way of caring for his son’s well-being and future, even if the son didn't recognize it at the time.

5. What is meant by the "chronic angers of that house"?

This phrase suggests that there was constant tension or unhappiness in the home. While we don't know the exact cause—it could be poverty, stress, or a difficult relationship—the speaker notes that he spoke "indifferently" to his father because of this atmosphere. It shows that the father’s act of warming the house was not just about temperature; it was an attempt to provide physical comfort in a socially difficult environment.

6. Describe the speaker’s attitude toward his father when he was a child.

As a child, the speaker was emotionally distant and somewhat ungrateful. He stayed in bed until the house was warm and then dressed slowly, fearing the "chronic angers." He spoke to his father without much warmth or appreciation. He moved through life with the "indifference" of a child who expects to be cared for without thinking about the cost of that care.

7. How does the speaker’s tone change from the beginning to the end of the poem?

The poem begins with a somber, descriptive tone as the speaker recalls the cold mornings. However, by the final stanza, the tone shifts to one of deep regret and realization. The repetition of "What did I know, what did I know?" shows an adult looking back at his younger self with sorrow, finally understanding the depth of the love he once ignored.

8. What does the act of "polishing my good shoes" symbolize?

Polishing the shoes represents the father’s desire for his son to have a better, more respectable life. "Good shoes" are often worn for church or important events. By doing this task himself, the father ensures that his son presents his best self to the world. It is a humble, quiet act of preparing the child for a future beyond the "blueblack cold" of their current life.

9. Explain the metaphor "love’s austere and lonely offices."

This is the most famous line of the poem. "Austere" means harsh or simple, and "offices" refers to duties or tasks. The speaker realizes that love isn't always about hugs and sweet words; sometimes love is "lonely" and "harsh," consisting of repetitive, difficult chores that no one sees or thanks you for. It is the love of duty and sacrifice.

10. What is the central message of Robert Hayden’s poem?

The central message is that parents often show their love through silent, invisible sacrifices that children are too young to understand. The poem serves as a tribute to those who perform "love's austere and lonely offices" and a reminder that true love is often found in the things people do for us when we aren't even looking.

Multiple-choice questions based on the poem:

1. Who is the poet of the spiritual poem "Peace"?

• A) William Wordsworth

• B) George Herbert

• C) Bruce Springsteen

• D) John Steinbeck

2. Where is the very first place the speaker goes to look for Peace?

• A) A busy marketplace

• B) A high mountain peak

• C) A secret cave

• D) A beautiful garden

3. What was the result of the speaker’s search in the "secret cave"?

• A) He found Peace sleeping there.

• B) He found a chest of gold.

• C) He heard only an Echo of his own voice.

• D) He met a wise old man.

4. Why did the rainbow fail to provide Peace to the speaker?

• A) It was too bright to look at.

• B) It faded and disappeared before he could reach it.

• C) It led him into a dangerous storm.

• D) It was hidden behind a mountain.

5. What did the speaker discover at the roots of the flowers in the garden?

• A) Sparkling clean water

• B) A canker (worm) eating them away

• C) Beautiful golden seeds

• D) A hidden map to Salem

6. Who finally guides the speaker toward the true meaning of Peace?

• A) A powerful king

• B) A group of travelers

• C) A reverend Hermit

• D) A singing bird

7. In the Hermit’s story, the "Prince" is a symbolic representation of:

• A) An earthly ruler of England

• B) Jesus Christ

• C) The poet’s own father

• *D) A mythological warrior

8. What is the symbolic meaning of the location "Salem" in the poem?

• A) A place of darkness and war

• B) A modern industrial city

• C) Jerusalem or a "Place of Peace"

• D) The name of the Hermit’s home

9. What grew out of the Prince’s grave after he was killed?

• A) A wall of thorns

• B) A special grain (wheat)

• C) A flowing river

• D) A field of colorful flowers

10. According to the poem, where is true Peace finally found?

• A) In the beauty of nature and rainbows

• B) By living in total solitude in a cave

• C) Through spiritual faith and the "bread" of grace

• D) By achieving great wealth and success

Detailed Summary of "Those Winter Sundays"

1. The Father’s Silent Sacrifice

The poem begins with the speaker remembering his father’s routine. Even on Sundays—a day meant for rest—the father would get up in the "blueblack cold" (the very early, freezing morning) to start the fires. His hands were "cracked and ached" from a week of heavy manual labor, yet he braved the freezing temperatures to make the house comfortable for his family. The most heartbreaking line in the first stanza is: "No one ever thanked him." It shows that his hard work was a silent, expected part of life that went completely unappreciated.

2. The Atmosphere of the Home

The speaker recalls waking up to the sound of the "cold splintering, breaking" as the fire grew. Only when the rooms were warm would the father call for the children to get up. However, the house wasn't just cold in temperature; it was also cold in spirit. The speaker mentions the "chronic angers of that house," suggesting a home filled with tension, unspoken arguments, or perhaps the stress of poverty. Because of this atmosphere, the speaker spoke to his father "indifferently," showing no warmth or gratitude.

3. Hidden Acts of Love

In addition to warming the house, the father also performed other small acts of care, such as polishing his son’s "good shoes." This act shows the father’s hope for his son’s future—he wanted his child to look respectable and prepared for the world. The father expressed his love through service and duty rather than through hugs or "I love you" statements. He was a man of action, not words.

4. The Adult’s Realization and Regret

The poem ends with the speaker looking back from an adult perspective. He asks himself twice, "What did I know, what did I know?" This repetition highlights his deep regret for being so blind to his father’s devotion. He finally understands that love isn't always emotional or sweet; sometimes it is "austere and lonely." It is the difficult, quiet work done in the shadows to protect and provide for others.

"Those Winter Sundays" - বিস্তারিত সারসংক্ষেপ

রবার্ট হেইডেনের "Those Winter Sundays" একটি অত্যন্ত আবেগময় কবিতা যা বাবা এবং ছেলের সম্পর্ক নিয়ে লেখা। এটি মূলত একজন বাবার নিরব ও অস্বীকৃত ত্যাগ এবং বড় হওয়ার পর সেই ত্যাগের মূল্য বুঝতে পেরে ছেলের অনুশোচনার গল্প বলে।

১. বাবার নিরব আত্মত্যাগ:

কবিতাটি শুরু হয় স্পিকারের বাবার স্মৃতির মাধ্যমে। রবিবার ছুটির দিন হওয়া সত্ত্বেও বাবা খুব ভোরে "নীলচে-কালো ঠান্ডার" (ভোরবেলার হাড়কাঁপানো শীত) মধ্যে ঘুম থেকে উঠতেন ঘর গরম করার জন্য আগুন জ্বালাতে। সারা সপ্তাহের কঠোর পরিশ্রমের কারণে তাঁর হাতগুলো ছিল "ফেটে যাওয়া এবং ব্যথায় ভরা", তবুও তিনি পরিবারের সুখের জন্য সেই তীব্র শীত সহ্য করতেন। প্রথম স্তবকের সবচেয়ে করুণ লাইনটি হলো: "কেউ কখনো তাকে ধন্যবাদ জানায়নি।" এটি বোঝায় যে তাঁর এই কঠোর পরিশ্রমকে সবাই খুব স্বাভাবিক বলে ধরে নিয়েছিল, কেউ এর মূল্যায়ন করেনি।

২. ঘরের পরিবেশ:

স্পিকার মনে করেন, আগুনের তাপে যখন শীতের "কঠিন বরফ ভাঙার" শব্দ পাওয়া যেত, তখনই ঘর গরম হতো। ঘর গরম হওয়ার পরই বাবা সন্তানদের ডাকতেন। তবে সেই ঘরটি কেবল তাপমাত্রায় নয়, বরং মানসিকভাবেও ছিল শীতল। কবি "ঘরের চিরস্থায়ী ক্রোধ" (chronic angers) সম্পর্কে বলেছেন, যা ইঙ্গিত দেয় যে পরিবারে সবসময় এক ধরণের মানসিক উত্তেজনা বা অশান্তি ছিল। এই পরিবেশের কারণে স্পিকার তাঁর বাবার সাথে খুব উদাসীনভাবে কথা বলতেন, কোনো কৃতজ্ঞতা প্রকাশ করতেন না।

৩. ভালোবাসার গোপন প্রকাশ:

ঘর গরম করা ছাড়াও বাবা আরও কিছু ছোটখাটো কাজ করতেন, যেমন ছেলের "ভালো জুতো জোড়া পালিশ করে রাখা"। এর মাধ্যমে বোঝা যায় বাবা চেয়েছিলেন তাঁর ছেলে যেন সমাজের সামনে মার্জিতভাবে উপস্থিত হয় এবং উজ্জ্বল ভবিষ্যতের দিকে এগিয়ে যায়। বাবার ভালোবাসা ছিল দায়িত্ব ও কাজের মাধ্যমে, কোনো মিষ্টি কথা বা আলিঙ্গনের মাধ্যমে নয়। তিনি ছিলেন কাজের মানুষ, কথার নয়।

৪. বড় হয়ে উপলব্ধি ও অনুশোচনা:

কবিতাটির শেষে স্পিকার একজন প্রাপ্তবয়স্ক মানুষের দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি থেকে অতীতকে দেখছেন। তিনি নিজেকে দুবার প্রশ্ন করেছেন, "আমি তখন কী-ই বা জানতাম?" এই পুনরাবৃত্তি তাঁর গভীর অনুশোচনাকে প্রকাশ করে। তিনি অবশেষে বুঝতে পেরেছেন যে ভালোবাসা মানে সবসময় শুধু আদর-সোহাগ নয়; কখনো কখনো ভালোবাসা হয় "কঠোর এবং একাকী" (austere and lonely)। এটি হলো সেই কঠিন কাজ যা আড়ালে থেকে নিঃস্বার্থভাবে পরিবারের জন্য করা হয়।