The title already depicts that this poem is written by the parent for the son. Reading the poem for the first time I realized that the parent is just suggesting and advising the son what to do, and what not to do in life. The father speaks as a wise man who has lived life and has experienced a lot of it; now he is passing on his knowledge to his son. The first advice he gives his son is he says, “The trick is, to life your days/ as if each one may be your last…”(ll. 1-2). This is one of the most popular advices given from our own parents to us as well as form other people. He says in parenthesis the reason to life your life each day as if it might be your last is because each day many young man die and “unimaginable ways”(l. 4), hence it better to enjoy every day and every second that is given to you because ever second your alive is a gift. The advice that he gives his son is wise, caring, as well as some personal advice. Reading the last part of the poem he tell his son to “marry a pretty girl”(l. 7), this give the poem a funny tone making the reader laugh in a way. He gives his son a religious advice. In Christianity it is said that god said it is important to always serve wine and bread at the table, especially wine. Meinke tells his son to “always serve bread with your wine./ But, son,/ always serve wine”(ll. 11-13). This whole poem contained not only personal and wise advices to his son but also a religious advice or maybe also a tradition that was set in their family and he wants it to keep on going as years pass. This poem is very intellectual in the sense that it contains wise, significant advices that really do relate to life.