Those winter Sunday nights

Sundays too my father got up earlyand put his clothes on in the blue black cold,then with cracked hands that achedfrom labor in the weekday weather madebanked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.when the rooms were warm, he’d call,and slowly I would rise and dress,fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him,who had driven out the coldand polished my good shoes as well.What did I know, what did I knowof love’s asture and lonely offices?