My Papa's Waltz By Theodore Roethke

1183 Words3 Pages

Looking Back on Youth
Many adults, often reminisce about their childhood days. They enjoy going back to the carefree days of innocence. We can almost hear the laughter of days gone by, as we feel a smile come across our face. It’s amazing how reminiscing can change our mood and how much joy it brings. A trip down memory lane is priceless and good for the soul. We get to visit with our loved ones, who are no longer with us, or those far away. In the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” written by Theodore Roethke, the speaker, reminisces back to his childhood with his father. The speaker suggests a dual interpretation —through the rhythm, word choice, theme, and tone—on the ritual of the special nightly bedtime waltz that father …show more content…

This poem has a simple ABAB rhyme scheme, which means that every other line within a stanza rhyme. The same rhythm as a waltz. Many of the rhymes, though, are slant rhymes, words that almost rhyme. According to Jim Baird, author of, "A summary and analysis of My Papa’s Waltz, “such as ‘could make a small boy dizzy’ and ‘Such waltzing was not easy.’ The additional foot produces a stumbling effect that adds to the poem’s description of a clumsy waltz,” (2). A foot refers to the extra feminine syllable at the end of the second or fourth lines. The stumbling effect also matches the father’s intoxicated unsteady waltz. “The Whiskey on your breath. / […] / Such waltzing was not easy,” (1, …show more content…

Some may interpret the father being abusive, because of the speaker using words such as “death, and beat,” (3, 13). The father does have whiskey on his breath, after working hard all day, but it is not clear that, the father is abusive. Perhaps the father uses alcohol in order to, relax so he can spend quality time with his son. Many times after working hard all day, people need to get a second breath, so they can have enough energy to have quality family time. People must also consider the time period. In the 1940’s -1950’s, men weren’t openly expressive about their feelings. They would rough-house and play tough to show their love, and bond. This is the father’s way of showing his love for his son. Roethke states, “But I hung on like death; /Such waltzing was not easy,” (3 - 4). The child was hanging on like death, because the father was unsteady on his feet, or he wasn’t ready to go to bed. It appeared that the father’s whiskey wasn’t the only thing making it difficult for the son, but also the difference in size. If the son is standing on his father’s feet, that will also make it more of a challenge. . According to the speaker, “You beat time on my head, / With a palm caked hard by dirt,” (13- 14). The father was beating time, on his son’s head to keep rhythm: He wasn’t beating his son on his

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