My Father’s Sadness

My Father’s Sadness

By Shirley Geok-lin Lim

My father’s sadness appears in my dreams.
His young body is dying of responsibility.
So many men and women march out of his mouth
each time he opens his heart for fullness,
he is shot down; so many men and women
like dragons’ teeth rising in the instance
of his lifetime. He is an oriental. He claims
paternity. But in his dreams he is a young body
with only his life before him.

My father’s sadness masks my face. It is hard
to see through his tears, his desires drum in my chest.
I tense like a young man with a full moon
and no woman in sight. My father broke
with each child, finer and finer, the clay
of his body crumbling to a drizzle of silicone
in the hour-glass. How hard it is
to be a father, a bull under the axle,
the mangrove netted by lianas, the host
perishing of its lavishness.

Summary of My Father’s Sadness

  • Popularity of “My Father’s Sadness”: ‘My Father’s Sadness’ is an impressive poem by Shirley Geok-lin Lim, one of the famous American writers and poets. The poem talks about the responsibilities a father tries to fulfill while raising his children. It also highlights the harsh approach of society toward a struggling father. Although the poem illustrates the role of a father, yet the impact of society’s bitter norms adds depth to the text.
  • “My Father’s Sadness” As a Representative of Sadness: The speaker interprets her father’s misery and sadness in her dreams. The poem accounts for the struggle a father wages to provide a better life to his children. It begins when the poet envisions her father’s sadness in her dreams. She says that the overwhelming burden of responsibilities is robbing her father of his youth. Unfortunately, instead of adoring his efforts, people around him pull at him like dragon’s teeth. They do not respect the man who gives his blood and sweat to his family. The speaker sympathizes with her father, saying all the responsibilities dragging that poor soul down are tearing him apart.
    The father sincerely works, while longing for a carefree life. Her sympathy with her father continues in the next stanza where she feels the pain of her father. She acknowledges his hard work and fully understands his feelings. She uses the clay analogy to define her father’s life before and after having children. His healthy body gradually becomes weak with each child. The physical description of the father’s role along with the realistic approach of the world the speaker adds depth to the text.
  • Major Themes in “My Father’s Sadness”: Parenthood, responsibilities, and sympathy are the major themes of the poem. The text revolves around the speaker’s father whose life changes from head to toe once he welcomes children into his life. The spark and glow of the vibrant youth gradually become a forgotten tale. He does his best to win a promising fortune for his children. Unfortunately, his struggle and hard work remain underrated by society. Instead of praising his efforts, people criticize him and try to let him down. The poor man silently ignores critics and does his best to hide his pain. Though he plays his role as a father, in his heart, he still desires the joyous youth and all the pleasures of life.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “My Father’s Sadness”

literary devices are tools used by writers to convey their ideas, feelings, and emotions to their readers. Shirley Geok-lin Lim has also employed some literary devices in this poem to show her theme of sympathy toward her father.

  1. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line in quick succession. For example, the sound of /ai/ in “with each child, finer and finer, the clay” and the sound of /e/ in “he is shot down; so many men and women.”
  2. Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession. For example, the sound of /m/ in “So many men and women march out of his mouth” and the sound of /d/ in “to see through his tears, his desires drum in my chest”.
  3. Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; instead, it continues in the next line. For example,

My father’s sadness masks my face. It is hard
to see through his tears, his desires drum in my chest.”

  1. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, “My father’s sadness masks my face”, “I tense like a young man with a full moon” and “My father’s sadness appears in my dreams.”
  2. Simile: It is a device used to compare a person or an object with something else to make the meanings clear to the readers. For example, “I tense like a young man with a full moon” and “so many men and women/like dragons’ teeth rising in the instance.”
  3. Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from literal meanings. “Like dragons’ teeth” symbolizes the harsh approach of society.

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “My Father’s Sadness”

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.

  1. Free Verse: Free verse is a type of poetry that does not contain patterns of rhyme or meter. This is a free-verse poem with no strict rhyme scheme or metrical pattern.
  2. Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are two stanzas in this poem with each comprising a different number of lines.

Quotes to be Used

The lines stated below are suitable to use when talking about the sacrifices our parents make to give us a better life.

How hard it is
to be a father, a bull under the axle,
the mangrove netted by lianas, the host
perishing of its lavishness.