Fathers

The poem Fathers by Grace Paley is interesting since it is very emotional and personal. It is referring to perhaps a hard time in history that hints at a country in war where father’s had to leave their homes and their family’s for an extended period of time. The poem is perhaps an allusion to a time of warfare for a country of people, and alludes to the unstable family dynamic and struggle during that time. “See fatherings of many colors with their round babies on their laps this may also happen in the country side these scenes were brand new exciting for an old woman who had watched the old fathers gathering one again in familiar army camps.” The description of the old woman perhaps observing today’s fathers in a public setting such as a subway transit is very thoughtful since perhaps the most profound scenes are simply observed in a normal daily setting. The scene of the father sort of mothering his child can be seen as a relief or a blessing, a good thing basically to an older generation of parents since whatever the situation past fathers did not have the opportunity to so called “mother” their children. This scene gives the poem theme and much depth with plenty of allusion to a difficult time for an older generation. The image of the father being so close with his child in “many colors” draws attention to an age of almost enlightenment in the next generation, where fathers are a part of their child’s life. The work also describes these scenes as “brand new” perhaps hinting at a happier age in the typical American family. Paley designs the poem as if it a flash back and it is interesting to dive into the old woman’s perspective as she observes such a simple scene on a New York subway.