Let's workshop this poem about a child's attempt to help his alcoholic father--who lives in an endangered patch of woods along the Hudson River in Beacon, NY--by crafting a job résumé
Michael Anthony Istvan Jr.’s poem "My Father’s Résumé" presents a poignant meditation on family, decay, and the futile attempts to reshape a broken life through the lens of societal expectations. The poem juxtaposes the harsh reality of the father’s existence with the artificial construct of a résumé, revealing deeper truths about identity, worth, and the struggle for validation.
The poem begins with the narrator undertaking the task of typing his father’s résumé, an act that initially seems straightforward but quickly becomes fraught with complexity. The imagery of a "rope tossed into his moldy tent" evokes a sense of rescue or aid, implying that the résumé might serve as a lifeline for the father. This metaphor underscores the father's desperate situation—living in a state of decay, both physically and emotionally, in the woods by the Hudson River. The father's environment is depicted as one of profound neglect and decline, where he has been "digested...into toothless rot" by the unforgiving elements and the passage of time. This vivid description is punctuated by moments of transient distraction and comfort, such as drinking beer and feeding raccoons, which highlight his isolation and resignation.
As the narrator works on the résumé, there is a noticeable shift in tone and focus. The initial aim of making the father "competitive" in the job market leads to embellishments and fabrications, a common practice in résumé writing but one that takes on a deeper significance in this context. The narrator’s efforts to "accentuate the positives with bullshit" and to dig up past jobs and volunteering experiences transform the résumé from a mere document into a symbol of hope and redemption. The process becomes an act of rewriting the father’s life, giving it a semblance of purpose and dignity that contrasts sharply with his current reality.
The line "the single page grew into something more" marks a pivotal moment in the poem. The résumé, initially a practical tool, becomes a narrative of the father’s life, infused with the narrator's desire to affirm his father’s worth. The "starched-collar compilation" is not just a list of jobs and skills; it is a testament to the father's existence, an attempt to construct a narrative of value and achievement. However, this constructed narrative is fragile, as the narrator anticipates the father's reaction. The whispering of the résumé’s optimistic message is overshadowed by the "voices" that "would swiftly bully the song." This suggests an inner turmoil within the father, where the positive affirmations of the résumé are drowned out by the harsh realities and self-doubt that have long plagued him.
Istvan’s "My Father’s Résumé" deftly captures the tension between societal measures of worth and the intrinsic value of a human life. The poem’s exploration of the father’s decline and the narrator’s earnest but ultimately futile attempt to rewrite his father’s story invites readers to reflect on the complexities of identity, validation, and the ways we seek to affirm the worth of those we love. Through its vivid imagery and emotional depth, the poem offers a powerful commentary on the human condition and the often unacknowledged struggles of those who live on the margins of society.
Michael Anthony Istvan Jr., My Father’s Résumé, family, decay, validation, societal expectations, résumé writing, identity, worth, isolation, neglect, redemption, hope, human condition, vivid imagery, emotional depth, struggle for validation, marginalization, human worth.
Michael Anthony Istvan Jr.’s poem "My Father’s Résumé" presents a poignant meditation on family, decay, and the futile attempts to reshape a broken life through the lens of societal expectations. The poem juxtaposes the harsh reality of the father’s existence with the artificial construct of a résumé, revealing deeper truths about identity, worth, and the struggle for validation.
The poem begins with the narrator undertaking the task of typing his father’s résumé, an act that initially seems straightforward but quickly becomes fraught with complexity. The imagery of a "rope tossed into his moldy tent" evokes a sense of rescue or aid, implying that the résumé might serve as a lifeline for the father. This metaphor underscores the father's desperate situation—living in a state of decay, both physically and emotionally, in the woods by the Hudson River. The father's environment is depicted as one of profound neglect and decline, where he has been "digested...into toothless rot" by the unforgiving elements and the passage of time. This vivid description is punctuated by moments of transient distraction and comfort, such as drinking beer and feeding raccoons, which highlight his isolation and resignation.
As the narrator works on the résumé, there is a noticeable shift in tone and focus. The initial aim of making the father "competitive" in the job market leads to embellishments and fabrications, a common practice in résumé writing but one that takes on a deeper significance in this context. The narrator’s efforts to "accentuate the positives with bullshit" and to dig up past jobs and volunteering experiences transform the résumé from a mere document into a symbol of hope and redemption. The process becomes an act of rewriting the father’s life, giving it a semblance of purpose and dignity that contrasts sharply with his current reality.
The line "the single page grew into something more" marks a pivotal moment in the poem. The résumé, initially a practical tool, becomes a narrative of the father’s life, infused with the narrator's desire to affirm his father’s worth. The "starched-collar compilation" is not just a list of jobs and skills; it is a testament to the father's existence, an attempt to construct a narrative of value and achievement. However, this constructed narrative is fragile, as the narrator anticipates the father's reaction. The whispering of the résumé’s optimistic message is overshadowed by the "voices" that "would swiftly bully the song." This suggests an inner turmoil within the father, where the positive affirmations of the résumé are drowned out by the harsh realities and self-doubt that have long plagued him.
Istvan’s "My Father’s Résumé" deftly captures the tension between societal measures of worth and the intrinsic value of a human life. The poem’s exploration of the father’s decline and the narrator’s earnest but ultimately futile attempt to rewrite his father’s story invites readers to reflect on the complexities of identity, validation, and the ways we seek to affirm the worth of those we love. Through its vivid imagery and emotional depth, the poem offers a powerful commentary on the human condition and the often unacknowledged struggles of those who live on the margins of society.
Michael Anthony Istvan Jr., My Father’s Résumé, family, decay, validation, societal expectations, résumé writing, identity, worth, isolation, neglect, redemption, hope, human condition, vivid imagery, emotional depth, struggle for validation, marginalization, human worth.