Those Winter Sundays

"Middle Passage" by Robert Hayden (1962)

After “Those Winter Sundays,” “Middle Passage” is Hayden’s most critically analyzed and well-received poem. This poem, based on T. S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land,” is an epic modernist poem about the mutiny on the slave ship La Amistad in 1839. The poem is a notable example of Hayden’s mixture of free verse and form, and it also highlights Hayden’s treatment of African American history.

"Monet’s Waterlilies" by Robert Hayden (1970)

Another well-regarded Hayden poem, “Monet’s Waterlilies” is similar to “Those Winter Sundays” in that is does not focus on race or the history of African Americans in America. The poem is political in nature, though, as it comments on the issues of the day and defers to the power of art as a means of transcending and moving beyond societal issues. The poem provides another example of rhythmic free verse common in Hayden’s work.

"John 13: 1-17" and "Genesis 2: 1-2"

These are two noteworthy biblical passages. The passage from John recounts some of the final acts of Jesus—including the washing of the disciples’ feet. The passage highlights the historical and religious weight of servitude exemplified through the washing of feet—a concept echoed in “Those Winter Sundays” by the father polishing the son’s shoes.