In “My Father’s Song,” Puebloan poet and writer Simon Ortiz skillfully weaves together fragments of thought to create a wondrous tapestry. The poem cunningly grasps several universal themes to which the reader, whatever his or her background may be, can relate. Ortiz created this effect through structure, style, and symbolism.

The structure of “My Father’s Song” is unlike that of the typical poem. Instead of complete thoughts, Ortiz uses sentence fragments to create his poetic syntax in the first stanza of the poem. For example, the poet invites the reader to focus on the poem’s theme in the first line by breaking up his first sentence into “Wanting to say things, / I miss my father tonight.” (Ortiz 32) By allowing the reader to focus on “Wanting to say things,” by itself, Ortiz displays the significance of this phrase. Similarly, “His voice, the slight catch, / the depth from his thin chest” (Ortiz pp.32-33) serve to convey fragments of thought circulating in the speaker’s mind. By breaking up a single sentence into five lines, the poet asks the reader to focus on each fragment of the sentence by itself. As a result, we vividly hear “the slight catch” of the poet’s father begore moving on to feel the “depth from his thin chest” and the “tremble of emotion.”(Ortiz pp.32-33)  This effect gives Ortiz the opportunity to effectively establish a strong connection with his reader and give the introduction of the poem a more personal tone. This unique structure ultimately combines with the poem’s style to affect the reader’s perception and understanding of “My Father’s Song.”

Deceivingly simple though it may be, the style of the poem successfully delivers the message of the piece across to the reader. Ortiz does not use difficult vocabulary or phraseology in his poem. In fact, his intent seems to be to deliver his message across to readers of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. Through the repeated use of vague phrases such as “Wanting to say things,” (Ortiz 32) Ortiz leaves the reader to decipher the meaning of “things,” which may differ from each reader to the next. Once again, Ortiz ensures a strong connection with his reader. Furthermore, we notice that “My Father’s Song” is quite devoid of rhyme, though rich in symbolism and oxymorons. This intended absence of sound allows the reader to focus on the meaning of the poem without distraction.

Lastly, the poet uses ample symbolism throughout the poem to convey his message. For example, the “corn” that Ortiz’s father planted refers to any action a human may undertake, however simple it may be. (Ortiz 33) The “mice” then symbolize innocent bystanders. (Ortiz 33) The decision of the father to bring the mice to safety instead of continuing his work symbolizes the decisions we must make. Perhaps Ortiz is reminding the reader that every action “planting corn” has its consequences “mice,” and that what we “father” decide determines the fate of the “mice.” (33) The title of the poem “My Father’s Song” itself is a symbol. It is often said that music is the language of the soul. The “song” that Ortiz misses is not his father’s soul but rather his father’s memories, mindset, and values. Here, I would like to note once again the connection Ortiz built with his reader. The poet opened the poem with a speaker who misses his father. As we move through the poem, we notice certain words such as “something,” “his son,” and “his father.” (Ortiz 33) Why did Ortiz write “his son” instead of “me?” We find that, as the poem progresses, the speaker moves from missing his father to missing a generation that has been swallowed by time. In the fourth stanza, Ortiz remembers acts from his personal past that he no longer sees, and encourages the reader to do the same. Hence, in the very last line of the final stanza, “my father” represents ancestors, a lost generation who planted corn and rescued “tiny, alive mice.” (Ortiz 33)

“My Father’s Song” was written in 1977. We notice that, in this era, Native Americans, such as Simon Ortiz, were largely underrepresented and prejudiced against. Ortiz yearned for a kinder present that would reflect the past he remembers. Through structure, style, and symbolism, Ortiz successfully delivers his message across to the reader, starting the poem with a simple nostalgia his readers could connect to and finalizing the masterpiece with a universal theme his readers could revive.

Ayah Gouda

Works Cited:

Ortiz, Simon. My Father’s Song. From Literature & Composition Reading Writing Thinking by Carol Jago, et al, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011, pp. 32-33