My Papa’s Waltz -Roethke

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My Papa’s Waltz –Roethke
My Papa’s Walt is an interesting poem narrated by a young boy about his father who is evidently drunk. The title of the poem gives the impression that it is an inspirational poem, but instead it is a sarcastic description of the father. The author chose a playful tone to describe the relationship between the son and father. Interestingly, the son seems to be enjoying the company of his father despite his dad’s alcoholism and unmannerly state. However, this is not directly evident considering that the poem starts with the boy complaining about the father’s behavior. The first two lines read “The whiskey on your breath could make a small boy dizzy.” This shows how the boy is worried.
Also, the author’s descriptive prowess paints a clear picture in the reader’s mind as the boy talks to his father. Anyone reading the poem can easily empathize with the boy and perhaps picture the young man being forced to take a step back when the father starts speaking to avoid the odor from his dad’s breath. The boy’s agony is also apparent in the third and fourth line which reads “But I held on like death: such waltzing was not easy.” This line also sets the tone for the poem which is a bit gloomy. The line shows that the boy has been struggling to live under such conditions. However, the boy is keen to pass the message in an intelligent but deep manner. The subject changes in the second line when the two starting having fun by dancing.

The boy tells us how he and the dad made a fool of themselves in the kitchen. The once gloomy mood is lit up by this act. However, the boy’s mother is unhappy with the dancing because pans are tumbling off the kitchen shelves (Janssen 1).
Again, the tone reverses in the third stanza when the young man remembers the brutality of his father. It is not directly mentioned that the father beat up the boy, but the mere fact that he held his wrist could be implying so. In the same stanza, the boy says that his dad bruised him with a buckle and in the process hurt the boy’s ear. Also, in the fourth stanza, the boy seems to be complaining. He says that he suffered at the hands of his father. Ironically, despite all the lamentation he ends up confessing his love for his father. The poem ends with the boy being taken to bed by his father ((Stilwell, et al. 2)
The use of alternating rhyme scheme makings the poem easy and interesting to read. The use of some words is also clever. For instance, the author uses the words such as “romped” and “Hung on like” to express the sentimental attitude of the boy towards his father. The author has also keenly selected the words used to describe the boy’s father portraying him as some with an alcoholic problem, someone who is hostile, and perhaps works in a blue-collar or white-collar job. Those who love poetry will find this poem intriguing as it is full of iron and humor. There is also a sense of deeper understanding each time one reads the poem. This especially so because some of the lines have a hidden meaning. I recommend the poem to anyone who loves good poetry.
Works Cited
Janssen, Ronald R. “Roethke’s My Papa’s Waltz.” The Explicator, vol. 44, no. 2, 1986, pp. 43-44.
Stilwell, Robert L., et al. “On the Poet and His Craft: Selected Prose of Theodore Roethke.” Books Abroad, vol. 40, no. 4, 1966, p. 460.