In this poem, the speaker describes a delicious lunch that he's about to share with his siblings and mother. It's fish, with some tasty flavoring, and rice also. The mom gets to eat the fish's head, which is the best part, and she does it gracefully. The skillful way his mom eats reminds the narrator of his father, who recently died. As the poem ends, the speaker remembers how his father died peacefully, with grace.
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In this poem, the speaker describes a delicious lunch that he's about to share with his siblings and mother. It's fish, with some tasty flavoring, and rice also. The mom gets to eat the fish's head, which is the best part, and she does it gracefully. The skillful way his mom eats reminds the narrator of his father, who recently died. As the poem ends, the speaker remembers how his father died peacefully, with grace.
It's a beautiful poem, heartbreaking and tender. Clearly, it's about love, family, and communion.
Despite being an extremely short poem, the theme is open to interpretation. Here are a few options.
1. The theme is the need to continue living after we lose someone we love. The speaker and his family eat together, a highly symbolic activity of continuing to take sustenance, to survive. And presumably from the description, the food is delicious; by enjoying it, they continue to participate in what life has to offer. You might give special attention to the fact that this is a warm meal, prepared in a steamer: it contrasts with the coldness of the imaginary "snow-covered road" of death that the speaker places his father on.
2. The theme is the need to maintain and strengthen family unity after a member of the family dies. They come together and share a meal at the table. Their grief is real, but they don't deal with it by seeking solitude. They take solace in each other, which is just as nourishing as the food they're consuming.
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