My Papa's Waltz By Theodore Roethke

Words: 552
Pages: 3

I agree with the author of “Theodore Roethke’s Unconventional Waltz” that the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke creates a negative feeling through the subject matter and descriptions. The author states “right ear scraped a buckle” (12) creating a dark and scary image adding to the negative feeling towards the poem. In this scene the boy is describing the father taking him and his right ears getting scraped by the fathers buckle. The author describes the scene as “The hand that held my wrist/Was battered on one knuckle;/At every step you missed/My right ear scraped a buckle”(9-12) This evidence creates a negative feeling towards the poem because the boy is getting hurt and abused by his father because his right ear is getting scraped by the fathers buckle, creating a scary image in the reader's mind adding to the negative feeling towards the poem. Also it says “The hand that held my wrist”(9) meaning the boy is powerless and the father is forcing his to go and follow him. Another reason is when the author chooses the word choice of “You beat time on my head”(13) Adding to the …show more content…
Some may think this way because they may see it as the father coming home having fun with his son making so much noise that the “mother's countenance/Could not unfrown itself”(7-8). Meaning they were making such a mess having fun the mother is telling them to stop. Also where it says “ You beat time on my head” (13) that may mean to the reader that they are having so much fun time passes by in a flash. Lastly where it says “Then waltzed me off to bed.” (15) meaning they danced so much until it was time for the boy (the son) to go to sleep. This may add to the joyful and positive feeling of the poem because everything they are doing together are good and