My Papa's Waltz Poem By Theodore Roethke

Nostalgic Remembrance

While the subject of “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke has spurred passionate academic debate from professors, scholars, and students alike, the imagery, syntax, and diction of the poem clearly support the interpretation that Roethke writes “My Papa’s Waltz” to recreate a fond memory from his childhood. Some may think the poem is about physical abuse while others believe Roethke is reminiscing on his past time with his father. It is understandable that without context, readers can believe the poem is about abuse due to the diction, imagery, and syntax used, but knowing information on Roethke’s background will help provide a better understanding of the poems actual meaning. The author’s childhood influences and

The rhyme scheme mimics the “musical beat in a waltz composition” using an iambic trimeter line (three beats). In other words, when the author writes “You beat time on my head,” he means the father kept time, or the beat of the waltz, by patting the head of his son. As noted earlier, the diction of the author causes one to image an abused child, with words such as “romped” and “beat.” Additionally, Roethke writes “The hand that held my wrist was battered on one knuckle;” and “You beat time on my head with a palm caked hard by dirt,” suggests the father’s hands are damaged because of maltreating his child. However, we know the poet’s father owns and works at a greenhouse, which is why his hands would be “caked hard by dirt,” and explain why he has “battered [knuckles].” Also, Roethke writes “my mother’s countenance could not unfrown itself.” When deconstructing this phrase, the mother is seen as unhappy because the author and his father play “until the pans [slide] from the kitchen shelf” meaning she is upset because she might have just finished cleaning and was annoyed of the mess caused by them. In short, Roethke creates a playful and joyous memory from his