“My Father is a Simple Man” by Luis Omar Salinas is a poem about a father and son’s gratefulness. This poem takes place in an old town through crowded streets of children. Author Luis Omar Salinas has written about his father Rosendo Salinas and explains to the reader his love for him. Luis was born June 24th, 1937 in a small town in Texas called Robstown. This poem shows how only one man can make a world of difference in someone’s life. This can be done through your actions of being hardworking like the father.
This poem is specified to be a free verse poem. This is poetry that does not have rhyme or have a regular meter. You can see this in the first two lines which are “I walk to town with my fathers to buy a newspaper” (Frost 1). ”He walks slower than I so I must slow up” (Frost 12). Through this, you can see that there is no rhyme or meter. This poem was written to create a realistic, natural expression of the relationship between father and son. This free verse poem is one stanza which has twelve lines. There are many runs – sentences, here is an example; “The truth of it is, he’s the scholar, and when the bitter-hard reality comes at me like a punishing evil stranger, I can always remember that there was a man who was a worker and provider, who learned the simple facts in life and lived by them, who held no pretense” (Frost 11). This quote is a run-on sentence, which is one of multiple but says much about the father’s characteristics that make him significant. Overall this poem structure isn’t structured but goes to lengths to emphasize the admiration the son has for his father.
This poem’s literal Interpretation is a poem about a son and old father walking and talking. While the son and father were having a conversation the son was showing and explaining his appreciation for him. Throughout this poem, there are keywords that help the story. Furthermore, the first example will be a journey. This word describes the father’s journey through life and the actions he had. This word is in this quote “He has taken me on this journey and it’s been lifelong” (Frost 6). This quote talks much about life and the journey he took throughout life. Another keyword would be perpetual, this word means everlasting. This keyword is in this quote; “He’s sure I’ll be healthy so long as I eat more oranges, and tells me the orange has seeds and so is perpetual, and we too will come back like the orange trees” (Frost 7). He is calling his father's greatness perpetual by comparing him to the orange trees. Lastly, this keyword is greatness. This word describes the father which is why it is said lastly. Furthermore, here is an example, “And when he leaves without the benefit of fanfare or applause shall have learned what little there is about greatness” (Frost 12). This word describes his father as being a worker, provider, patient, and much more. These words show how significant his father was and is.
Throughout the poem, there are powerful lines that also have literary term elements. The first example of a literary term element would be this quote “I’d gladly give my life to this man with a 6th-grade education, whose kindness and patience are true. The truth of it is that he is a scholar” (Frost 9). A scholar is a person who is highly educated or has an aptitude for study. This is comparing opposites which means it is a metaphor and a paradox. Another quote that shows literary terms would be this one; “One day he will come back like the orange trees” (Frost 7) which shows imagery. You can see that in your mind but not only that this quote is a simile. You can see this because it is used to compare his father to orange trees which aren’t alike. Another example I have would be the symbolism of the symbol father who symbolizes the author’s father Rosendo Salinas. Furthermore, you can sense the love that he has for his father by the following quote “I Can always remember that there was always a man who was a worker and a provider” (Frost 11). This poem has wonderful literary term elements which help this poem tremendously with the tone of the story which is sweet, caring, and appreciative.
In Conclusion, the reader can see that the author Luis Omas Salinas describes a father and son relationship and how the son admires his father and each cares for the other which makes this poem sweet. As a result, this shows the theme which is to be great. To be great for many people is fame or power. This poem shows that greatness is in the heart of a man who is true and kind through life. Throughout this poem, the poem has shown me the greatness that my father has and the greatness of the son’s father.