Father to Son

The father complains that he does not understand his own child. Though they have lived together for so many years now, since the time of his sons birth, the father knows nothing of him. The father tries to build up a relationship with his son from the early years, in a manner when his son began to recognize people around, to crawl and to walk in a desperate attempt. The father wonders whether he has destroyed the seed of his off-spring or sown it where the land belongs to his heir and none is his. Both father and son continue to speak like strangers now and there seem no signs of understanding in the air between the two. In traditional belief, the son is created and born to the likings and designs of his father, yet in this case, the father cannot share what his son loves. Most of the time silence surrounds them. The fathers greatest wish is for his son to be The Prodigal son who will very soon return to his fathers house; the home which he always knew. This is definitely the better alternative rather than to see his son move out into the world blindly on his own, by himself and fall into trouble. The father is ready to forgive him at any cost as long as he is able to reshape him up from the long bounded sorrow to a new love. Both father and son all over the world must learn to live on the same globe and on the same land. The father finally admits that there are times that he cannot understand himself or why his anger grows from grief? However they have learnt to put out each others empty hand and with each others heart that is longing for something to forgive. Elizabeth Jennings sensitizes the youth and the parents to the problems that parents go through universally due to the distance created by generation gap. This is caused mainly due to not keeping the channels of communication open by the parents who are involved in their own lives(careers, personal issues)when their children need them the most, the traumatic teens. This in turn makes them reach out to their friends and gradually there are two different worlds created. By the time parents realize that the children have a separate world, the damage is already done and the process of coming together is a difficult and painful process. Parents must ensure to understand life also from the changing perception of their children, be flexible and set common, realistic values and rules for their children. Of course being a role model is very important. You can't impose rules and be doing just the opposite. Children need love and understanding and if they get it from their parents, there never will be avoid or silence. Respecting the differences which are natural is also a key to be a friend. A son always looks up to the father for guidance and support .The bond should be continuously nurtured. There will be no pain only happiness. The poem ends on a note of longing from the father to get back the son who has become distant. Reaching out of 'empty hands' means that they both are ready to take the relationship positively and make a fresh start. The father despite his grief is ready to forgive, he has overcome his anger. The Father is unhappy with his child. Though they have lived for so many years together they do not understand each other. They talk like strangers. Father is grieved. His grief gives birth to anger. But each of them wish that the other forgive him.