Sons

The poem starts with alliteration, "Sarcastic Sons Slam front doors" this gives exaggeration to these words, offering the idea of adolescents and their mood swings. This poem takes the persona back to their childhood as "I think" takes him back to growing up, the "small-tanned gardens" "wild flowers" are all places in his memory. Now his "son is like that" beginning to become more like his father, and growing up into his own person.
In his second stanza, Abse uses a juxtaposition "both prim and brash?" these opposite's may highlight the changing emotions of the adolescent. The use of the phrase "at the frontier of nowhere" may suggest the use of "nowhere" may be referring to his youth and the idea of finding his youth.

The third stanza again shows memory "a London door should slam" as certain things remind him of home.
The last stanza shows his love for his son, "son, you are like that and I love you" showing he doesn't care who he is and he understands the idea of "not belonging" as you grown up you may feel like you don't belong but just to be yourself and "maturity will switch" showing growing up just comes easily and happens quickly.

I feel this poem links to 'Dockery and Son' as both poem have a sense of remembering youth and taking them back to childhood memories, also in 'Dockery' the persona questions the idea of having a son but in this poem its clear they are fond of each other.