Week Eight

This week I posted Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz" along with my interpretation. I love this poem by because it seems so real. I can picture the little boy trying to hang on to his Daddy who is swinging him around and around. The mother watches from across the room with a frown on her face. Although pans are falling off the shelves, the dad does not stop dancing.

Some people may read this poem to be about child abuse and alcoholism, since it includes Papa's whiskey breath, the boy's consequent dizziness, the difficulty of hanging on "like death" while his drunken father throws him around, and the uneasiness in the waltzing; however, I do not. I think the dad is happy and may be a bit drunk, but he is enjoying his son and celebrating life. I would have given anything to have my dad's attention, and ike the little boy, I would have hung on even if the dad's belt buckle was rubbing my ear.

The reason that I do not think this poem is about child abuse or alcoholism is because the title "My Papa's Waltz" suggests intimacy, affection, and love. The father and son are sharing a moment that they will not ever forget. Since the mother is frowning, she may feel left out and does not approve of the two having fun. But her disapproval does not take away from the intimate bond that the boy and his papa share.

The two males are dancing, which suggests a time of celebration. The next stanza describes the "romp" that disturbs the pans in the mother's kitchen. The father's dirt-caked hand reveals that he is a hard worker and energetic. So what is surprising if he wants to waltz his son to bed? No wonder that the young boy clings to his father's shirt. He doesn't want to go to bed because he is having too much fun.

The tone of the poem sets the mood that includes music and dancing. Of course, the poem is an ambiguous one, but I interpret it to be about love that is shared between a father and son. The father has come home from a hard day at work and has a drink to relax. Soon after, he dances with his son before bedtime. It is important for parents to play or wrestle with their children, especially father and son.

Apparently, Roethke's father was a greenhouse manager who was rough but kind. Roethke may have drawn inspiration from his childhood in "My Papa's Waltz." I read that Roethke wrote many poems for children such as "Elegy for Jane," "Song for the Squeeze Box," "Light Listened," "The Waking," and "Reply to a Lady Editor."

Roethke's sense of humor and playfulness is apparent in these poems as well as "My Papa's Waltz." I enjoy the vivid imagery that Roethke uses in his poem. The sense of touch, sight, sound, and smell are all incoporated and helps me to understand how the young boy felt.

"My Papa's Waltz" demonstrates the influence that a father has on his son. Roethke's work reveals how precious and important life's simple moments really are. Because life is short, we should take time to dance. Someone will always be there to frown and criticize, similar to the mother in this poem; nevertheless, we should still celebrate life.