My Father’s Song
“My Father’s Song” is a nostalgia poem by Simon Ortiz. The poet nostalgically describes his childhood, evident from the repetition and descriptive language used in the poem. Ortiz paints a memory of how he lived with his father, and the lessons passed on to him. The words “my father’s song” represent the advice passed down by his father. At first glance, the poem appears as a simple narration of a boy describing his childhood experiences with his father. However, a deeper dive into the poetry reveals that the poet is nostalgic when he remembers the essential life lessons and tradition passed on to him by his father. Repetition, imagery, and tone of the poem bring out the main idea of the poem.
Repetition is a stylistic device used to create emphasis. In “My Father’s Song,” the poet uses repetition to create stress on the things his father taught him. In stanza two lines 2-3, the poet says, “We planted corn one spring at Acu- we planted several times.” The word planted has been used twice in the stanza to emphasize that the poet and his father used to plant corn. The poet’s father taught him to be hardworking and responsible by teaching him to plant corn. The word moist sand has also been repeated severally in the poem. Since the poet accompanied his father to the cornfield, he is familiar with his surroundings. Also, the idea of nostalgia comes about as the poet uses repetition. The poet misses his father, and thinking repetitively about the lessons he received creates a nostalgic tone.
Imagery creates a mental picture in the mind of the reader. The poet uses vivid description to paint a mental picture of his experiences with his father. In stanza one lines 3-7, the poet says, “His voice, the slight catch, the depth from his thin chest, the tremble of emotion in something he has just said to his son, his song.” From the description, it is clear that the poet can remember the tiniest detail about his father. Therefore, the poet and his father had a close and loving relationship. The poet creates a nostalgic feeling by saying, “I miss my father tonight” in stanza one line 2. Since the father and son had a close relationship, the poet looked up to his father and heeded to the values passed he learned. Also, the word song creates repetition and image. Usually, a song uses repetitive language to create rhyme and rhythm. Similarly, the poet describes the words of his father as a song implying repetition. Due to rhyme, songs are memorable and long-lasting. Therefore, the poet considers his father’s words like a song since they are memorable, just like a song.
The tone of the poem is nostalgic. The poem is a sentimental longing of the past that the poet shared with his father. The nostalgic feeling starts from the beginning of the poem, when the poet mentions missing his father. In particular, the poet remembers when they found baby mice in the field, and his father took the animals to a safer place. Thus, the poet’s father taught him the importance of respecting life, no matter how small or insignificant.
In conclusion, repetition, imagery, and tone have been used to pass the central message of the poem. The nostalgic poem portrays a boy remembering life with his father. Besides the poet and his father having a close relationship, the father taught his son essential life lessons. From the poem, parents and children learn the importance of passing important life values by cultivating close relationships.