The poem describes a father's routine on Sundays which the speaker observes. The father would wake early and sit by the fire with cracked hands, reading newspapers in the blue-black cold. This was the only time the father was still, usually moving constantly in an attempt to keep his family safe. The speaker recalls observing his father during these quiet Sunday moments, seeing the stress and weariness in his face. The poem explores the complex relationship between a father and son.