Does the poem talk of an exclusively personal experience or is it fairly universal?
The poem is fairly universal. At times, the lack of mutual understanding between a father and a son creates a lot of misunderstandings that result in silence between the two.
How is father's helplessness brought in this poem?
The father tries a lot to understand his child but he fails every time. He wants to build a good relationship in between them. He doesn't want his child to do anything, he would simply forgive him. He just wants him to come back, give it a fresh start and discover a new love out of sorrow.
Identify the phrases and lines that indicate the distance between the father and son.
1. This child is built to my design yet what he loves I cannot share.
2. We speak like strangers, there is no sign of understanding in the air.
3. Silence surrounds us.
Does the poem have a consistent rhyme scheme?
No, the poem doesn't have a consistent rhyme scheme.