| Quote #1 And you, my father, there on the sad height, Instead
of more clearly explaining the relationship between all the
kinds of men mentioned in the poem – wise men, grave men, wild
men, good men – and his father, Thomas turns to his father with
the simple conjunction "And." This linking word leaves the
reader in doubt about the father's character; the poem and the
speaker seem to be withholding judgment until they see how the
father reacts in the face of death. The speaker hopes he will
rebel against death, but isn't quite sure. The "And" stands out
even more when we read line 17, where "curse" and "bless" are
linked with a comma – no wasted linking word there. The comma
also creates an ambiguous relationship: is the speaker
suggesting that to curse is the same thing as to bless? Or
creating a sharp juxtaposition between opposites? The contrast
of "sad height" (line 16) and "fierce tears" (line 17) creates
even greater emotional resonance. In each case, a word with
grand and majestic connotations, "heig