An explication of "Late Poem to My Father."

"Late Poem to My Father" Sharon Olds. Suddenly I thought of you as a child in that house, the unlit rooms and the hot fireplace with the man in front of it, silent. You moved through the heavy air in your physical beauty, a boy of seven, helpless, smart, there were things the man did near you, and he was your father, the mold by which you were made. Down in the cellar, the barrels …

…is too late to protect or save her father from the damage that was done when he was still a child, being "formed in front of the fire." Though it is impossible to go back in time and change scenarios, or take away someone else's pain, the next best thing is in understanding. Through understanding, the author shows we can forgive and love, which I believe are keys to happiness and a fulfilled, complete life.