Eating Together

The poem is a short lyric poem that emphasizes the personal memories of the speaker—in this case, a lunch occurring “weeks” (Line 9) after their father’s death. As the poem alludes to death, it qualifies as an elegy, paying tribute to the father and recognizing his life by including him in the portrait of the meal.

The authorial context indicates that the speaker is Lee, and the poem is about a family meal after his father died. Many of Lee’s poems focus on his father and personal life, and “Eating Together” continues the pattern of Lee using poetry to untangle his memories.

Conversely, Lee’s belief in a poetic speaker’s “nobody-hood” (See: Background) undercuts the biographical interpretation. A close reading of the poem reveals a speaker without a name or identity, defined by the food they eat and the family that surrounds them rather than by any personal markers. Thus, identifying the speaker as Lee isn’t integral to understanding the poem; rather, the speaker’s role in their environment is what is important: They function as a witness, observing the lunch and documenting what they see with as much objectivity and dispassion as being part of the family allows.