The Portrait

Kunitz, Stanley

Primary Category: Literature / Poetry

Genre: Poem

Annotated by:
Coulehan, Jack
  • Date of entry: Apr-17-2001

Summary

The author's father killed himself "in a public park . . . while I was waiting to be born." His mother never forgave his father. When the author found a portrait of him in the attic, his mother "ripped it into shreds / without a single word."

Commentary

As a 64 year old man, the author reflects on his father's suicide; and his mother's unforgiving anger.

Primary Source

Next-to-Last Things

Publisher

Atlantic Monthly

Place Published

New York

Edition

1985