Those Winter Sundays

          This poem shows us how the son treats his father. It is common for young children to not appreciate their parents “No one ever thanked him”(Line5). The father is doing the morning chores that made the house warm before others got out of bed. The speaker speaks “indifferently” (Line10). In Islam, Allah urges us to obey parents. According to the Islam holy book “And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour… And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young’”(17:23-24). Also, the prophet Muhammad said, “In the happiness of parents lies the happiness of Allah and in their dissatisfaction is Allah’s dissatisfaction."The prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) wants to explain to us how the satisfaction of parents is very important for us as Muslims because if you satisfy you parents, Allah will satisfy you. As well, if your parents are not Muslims, you have to keep in touch with them, respect them, and do not say any thing that could hurt them. According to the Holy book, "But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not; but behave with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance and in obedience. Then to Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do". (31:15)

       This poem shows us how the son treated his father in the past. The son in the poem said:"What did I know. what did I know/of love's austere and lonely offices?"(Line13-14)  He didn't respect his father when he was young even though his father took care of him. Now, the speaker understands the sacrifice the father made for him after he grew up.