MY PAPA ’ S WALTZ

1. MY PAPA’S WALTZ BY: theodoreroethke

2. 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.

3. 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).

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. …… • 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 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 .

7. …… • 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 .

8. ________. QUIZ ! • How many quadrants does this poem have ? • 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. • What’s weird about this poem that relates to music itself ? • What does the line ‘’ with a palm cake hard by dirt’’ mean ? • 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? • What is the metaphor of the poem ? • What kind of relationship did Roethke have with his father ? • Who did Roethke fear of but also loved ?