My Father's Loveletters

I chose to write about My Father's Loveletters by Yusef Komunyakaa because of its poignancy and I can strangely find myself in this poem. The poem speaks of a young boy that writes love letters for his father to his mother that he once beat. The young boy explains how his father spends his days working hard to support the family. Whatever is necessary to keep his image alive he will do. He has his son write letters because he is unable to write anything other than his signature. The young boy speaks of his father as a smart man that is able to construct a house and do architectural work but a simple thing such as writing is too difficult for him. I find myself in this poem in the way that I work hard to keep a specific image of myself. No matter what I need to do to keep this image, I will do. The father spends his time stealing plants and having his son write letters for him so he can appear successful and loving.