MY PAPA’S WALTZ
BY: THEODORE
ROETHKE
AUTHORS BIO
Theodore Roethke was born in May 25, 1908 . He was an American
poet who published several volumes. His father Otto Roethke had
died of cancer in 1923. Later on Roethke wrote a poem about his
father called ‘’My Papa’s Waltz’’. He had a conflicted relationship
with his father. He loved the man but feared him at the same time.
Roethke was only fifteen when his father had died , which was a
very traumatic event in his life for him, Roethke's writing often
referred back to his childhood and as we see in this poem, "My
Papa's Waltz”. Roethke had came to poetry late in life compared to
many poets. He decided on his vocation while in graduate school.
He studied briefly at Harvard When the Great Depression hit,
Roethke had no choice but to leave Harvard. By the time he was
teaching at Michigan State Roethke’s reputation as a poet had been
established. While visiting with friends at Bainbridge Island in 1963,
Washington, Roethke suffered a fatal heart attack. During the last
years of his life he had composed the sixty-one new poems that had
been published.
STRUCTURE
The poem “ My Papas Waltz” written by
Theodore Roethke is abusive. It’s a narrative.
The poet does transition on the Second Stanza
first line, where first he’s talking about a father
being abusive with his child ; to taking him to
bed so he can rest. It has an Iambic Trimeter. It
has three poetic feet in every line and it gives a
rhythm to the poem. This poem also has a
rhyme scheme, which goes
ABAB,CDCD,EFEF,GHGH.
The poem has 4 quatrains. There’s this odd
coincidence, because the time for music is ¾
and theres three poetic feet and four lines. It
has a little song as you resit the poem. The
writer wrote this as a music rhyme to a waltz,(a
waltz or waltzing is a traditional dance). As you
read the poem you can hear the instrumental
rhythemic pattern(bubububububu).
FIGURATVE LANGUAGE
As every other poem this poem also has comparison. The
metaphor in this poem is waltzing. Waltzing could be a
metaphor for playful roughhousing or it could be a metaphor
for an abusive beating. There’s alliteration present in lines
4,7,8,&10. There’s assonance present in lines 9&16. Line 3 is
a simile .Line 7 is personification.
ANALYSIS
The poem “ My Papas Waltz written by Theodore Roethke is a
Ballad. A Ballad is a simple narrative verse which tells a story to be sing
or recited. Roethke included plenty of violent words, but some how happy
words ; since the father was abusive. This poem also has a rhyme
scheme of ABAB,CDCD,EFEF,GHGH , meaning that every other line
within a stanza rhymes. Many of the rhymes are slant rhymes. Slant
Rhymes are words that almost rhyme, but not quite. The structure
Roethke used includes different types of poetic devices : rhymes, rhythm,
imagery, meaning, and the choice of diction used in the poem. This poem
is an Iambic Trimeter. The syllables only have three poetic feet. There’s
this odd connection, because the beating time for music is ¾ and there’s
three poetic feet and four lines in each stanza. Roethke wrote this poem
so you can think of waltzing as you read it. If you recite the poem it
sounds like “ da-Dum da-Dum da-Dum” ; sounding of a heart beat. The
poem has 4 quatrains. Roethke does a transition on the third stanza first
line. “ The hand that held my wrist” meaning he was getting love. In the
first two stanzas he’s talking about being abusive with his child ; to taking
him to bed so he can rest.
……
He romped or played about with his father till the pans slid from the kitchen shelf. The above
action is emblematic of domestic disturbance and insecurity. The mother bore this act with
great endurance and yet her countenance "Could not unfrown itself . "The hand that once
held his wrist firmly and guided him, came across as "battered on one knuckle." His rollicking
stance does not allow him to be gentle. Though he tries, the alcohol takes its toll on him. He
appears to be manhandling the child. Nevertheless, the child clings onto the carousing father,
as he finds his closeness the most secure thing in the world; as if desperately holding on to
dear life. At every step the father missed(in life) or went astray, the son's ear got scraped. He
got affected by lapses on part of the father. The words 'dizzy-easy', 'buckle-knuckle 'point that
there was indeed an inherent rhythm in their relationship. Something, that even the poet's
mother could not comprehend.
Due to his disorderly behavior, the son had matured beyond his age. This is the meaning of
the line "you beat time on my head." The trials and tribulations of their life also advanced the
poet maturing, that is referred to as ” With a palm caked hard by dirt" The line also suggests
the father's roughhousing and his crudeness. It also connotes the father's nature of work in
the greenhouse. He takes care to "waltz" him off to bed. It exemplifies how the dance
movement that is symbolic had at once entered their daily routine. And though critics mention
that -"Roethke expresses resentment for his father" in the poem, it is not so. Firstly, the poet
ends the poem with "Still clinging to your shirt." Also note that the title has the word "My"
Roethke could have simply phrased it as "Papa's Waltz" ."My" denotes the innate love,
possessiveness and sense of belonging he experienced with his father. The father tries his
best to establish a kind of harmony, but cannot. Therefore Roethke lends preference to the
father's intention than action.
As the poet clings onto the father, Theodore Roethke may also imply to his own thoughtprocess- his clinging onto the memory of his father frantically ,whom he lost when he was just
fourteen. The poignancy sets in. Therefore, the poem comes across as an elegiac note to a
father .
……
Due to his disorderly behavior , the son had matured beyond his
age. This is the meaning of the line "you beat time on my head." The
trials and tribulations of their life also advanced the poet maturing,
that is referred to as "With a palm caked hard by dirt" The line also
suggests the father's roughhousing and his crudeness. It also
connotes the father's nature of work in the greenhouse. He takes
care to "waltz" him off to bed. It exemplifies how the dance
movement that is symbolic had at once entered their daily routine.
And though critics mention that -"Roethke expresses resentment
for his father" in the poem, it is not so. Firstly, the poet ends the
poem with "Still clinging to your shirt." Also note that the title has
the word "My" Roethke could have simply phrased it as "Papa's
Waltz" ."My" denotes the innate love, possessiveness and sense of
belonging he experienced with his father. The father tries his best to
establish a kind of harmony, but cannot. Therefore Roethke lends
preference to the father's intention than action. As the poet clings
onto the father, Theodore Roethke may also imply to his own
thought-process- his clinging onto the memory of his father
frantically ,whom he lost when he was just fourteen. The poignancy
sets in. Therefore, the poem comes across as an elegiac note to a
father .
QUIZ !
1.
How many quadrants does this poem have ?
2.
Do you think the father in this poem is abusive to his son? What
quotes from the poem can you use as evidence to support your
point of view ? Explain.
3.
What’s weird about this poem that relates to music itself ?
4.
What does the line ‘’ with a palm cake hard by dirt’’ mean ?
5.
According to the speaker, what is his father like?
a. loving and caring b. smooth and nimble c. busy and
neglectful d. drunk
6.
This poem is a ________ Trimeter ,which consist of 4 _____.
7.
Why does the kid get hit/abused?
8.
What is the metaphor of the poem ?
9.
What kind of relationship did Roethke have with his father ?
10. Who did Roethke fear of but also loved ?