My Father's Song

With the poem “My Father’s Song,” Ortiz explores a particular memory from his childhood that he has of his father, remembered later in his adult life when he wishes he could speak with him. The poem is written in five short stanzas with simple, repetitive language that sets a quiet and gentle tone for the reader. Ortiz uses this tone to explore an ordinary but powerful moment between him and his father, which seems to come and go quickly, the way childhood memories suddenly emerge and fade away for adults. The intimate moment between father and son expresses a lot about the nature of their relationship, the legacy of the father’s lessons to the son, and the effects of grief long after a loved one has passed. Ortiz’s “My Father’s Song” could be considered an elegy, lamenting the loss of a father, and an emotional remembering of his better qualities.

The poem begins with grief, as the author misses his father and finds himself muted, unable to “say things” (Line 1) to him. It is implicit to the poem that his father is dead, perhaps for many years, but Ortiz remembers him vividly in this first stanza.