Theodore Roethke’s My Papa’s Waltz and Robert Hayden’s Those Winter Sundays

Poetry is made to express the feelings, thoughts, and emotions of the poet. The reader can interpret the poem however they see fit. Critics are undecided about the theme of Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz." Some people believe that the poem is one of a happy exchange between a father and son. The more convincing interpretation is that it has a hidden message of parental abuse. Careful analysis of the keywords and each individual stanza back up this theory of child abuse by a violent and drunken father.

In the poem "My Papa's Waltz" written by Theodore Roethke, the interpretation of the poem depends on the readers`perspective. Some people think that this poem is one of a happy exchange between a father and son. Other people believe that this poem has a hidden message of parental abuse. In my point of view, the imagery and language, the symbolism, and tone in the poem gave me the impression of the love between the father and son, not of an abusive relationship.

In the poem "My Papa's Waltz" written by Theodore Roethke, the interpretation of the poem depends on the readers` perspective. Some people think that this poem is one of a happy exchange between a father and son. Others believe that it has a hidden message of child abuse. In my point of view, the imagery and language, the symbolism, and tone in My Papas Waltz gave me the impression of the abusive relationship between the father and son, but then later realizing the positive side.

At first glance, “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke is very intriguing as the poem is very ambiguous at first. Many people that read the poem at first believe it to be about child abuse, which is very easy for readers of the 21st generation to confuse as we see everything with a dark meaning behind it. The poem is about a boy who dances with his father, hence the name of the poem “My Papa’s Waltz”. Once the poem has been reread several times, we can take a closer look at what Roethke is really implying in the poem. Therefore, it becomes clear to the audience that the poem has a lighter meaning and has a more positive outlook than a negative outlook to the situation occurring in the poem.

Children are often expected to forgive their parents for any mistake their parents may have made, however forgiving and forgetting are not the same thing. How parents nurture their children has a significant role in those children’s lives. Children may have forgiven, but forgetting is a not always as easy or even possible. Theodore Roethke’s poem “My papa’s waltz” and Lucille Clifton’s “forgiving my father” recalls the speakers’ respective childhoods and treatment by their father. The poem shows that even through time it is not as always easy to forgive and memories make people incapable of letting go. Lucille Clifton’s poem “forgiving my father,” a daughter recollects the animosity she has for her father. She is here to collect for all his wrongdoings not just as a father but a horrible husband. Theodore Roethke’s poem “My papa’s waltz” leaves the reader to interpret his feelings through “a waltz” - dance. It is unclear whether there was love between Roethke and his father. However, the reader understands there was fear. Clifton’s “Forgiving my Father” uses a more direct approach to let the reader knows her thoughts towards her father; both poems show that forgiveness is required to move forward. However, one never forgets.

In “My Papa’s Waltz” there are a plethora of word twists, hidden meanings, and thought provoking terminology. According to the Oxford English Dictionary the meaning of the word waltz is “a dance performed to music in triple time by couples who, almost embracing each other, swing round and round in the same direction with smooth and even steps, moving on as they gyrate.” The term of the “waltz” in this poem has many intricate, definitions and meanings. The waltz is a formal dance that is being held inside of a kitchen, in a not so formal way or setting. As stated in line 5 “We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf;” with the term “romp” meaning “to play roughly or energetically (esp. of children and animals); to sport or frolic in a lively, light-hearted, or boisterous manner.”(5-6) The son in this poem is enjoying the memory of their time romping whilst the father is being commemorated by his son.

Authors tend to write on subjects that they know the most about, or subjects that affect them on a personal level. Authors and poets use various aspects of life for the basis of their works, such as life experiences, romances, and family roles. Poems like “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden and “Forgiving My Father” by Lucille Clifton feature one of the most important roles in a family: a father. The two poems differ vastly in many regards, but many similarities surface among them and a common theme resides between them. Through the similarities they hold, the poems represent a common theme of regret for one’s lack of action.

In the poem, “My Papa’s Waltz,” by Theodore Roethke, the narrator is the “small boy” mentioned in the second line. He thoroughly describes every little thing about what his father is doing; this shows the large amount of imagery in the poem. This connection is obviously between a boy and his father; hence the title of the poem. Speaking of the title of the poem, it is exactly what is named. A waltz is a song “written in ¾ time,” this is normally a very “intimate type of dance” (Shmoop). There may be a danced being performed, but do not be fooled. Eventually, we realize that this poem is a lot worse that what most would originally think. This poem quickly goes from good

Found all over the world, in every social economic class, child abuse is still present even though its terms and definitions have changed over the years. Child abuse is rarely reported by the kids or parents, but by responsible adults in authority over the victim. The poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke reflects the issue of child abuse, by portraying a young child’s attempt to normalize an abusive situation. Survival mechanisms used by children in abusive situations make discovery and treatment of abuse difficult. Abuse treatment demands early identification and reporting of possible victims. Education is the primary way to ensure effective, prompt reporting by required individuals. The law requires certain people to report potential abusive situations, but child abuse can and should be reported by any individual that suspects it. In order to reduce the statistic of child abuse, any person with authority over children must be educated and become proactive in reporting.

In the first stanza of Roethke’s poem the word “death” is referenced. Whenever someone makes any kind of reference to death, it is seen as a sad event with a dark tone. As “My Papas Waltz” progresses, the boy’s tone becomes more playful. Roethke is trying to create a tone of joy as a father and son enjoy having fun with each other. The ‘waltz’ becomes less serious when the boy says, “We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf”. Using a word like romped is a deliberate attempt to make a serious event lighthearted and fun. If Roethke had chosen to use a word such as “whipped” In addition to romped, Roethke uses the word “waltz” in lieu of a word like stumble. By calling it “My Papa’s Waltz” Roethke ensure the dance between father and son is not misinterpreted as a drunken stumble.

The controversial poem, “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 reminisce on a bittersweet memory with his father. His unclear commemoration has sparked a divide on what the true purpose of the poem is. Some may argue the poem’s purpose is to shine light on the subject of abuse, whereas others believe the father and son were sharing a moment while “roughly playing.” However, the more one examines this piece of literature, it becomes undeniable that the poem portrays a scene of a toxic father-son relationship. Although there are a

"We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf" (5-6). In numerous poems different readers vista a variety of ways to interpret what poems actually mean. This is very much true in Theodore Roethke's poem "My Papa's Waltz." The quote mentioned has caused many misconceptions about what the poem; "My Papa's Waltz" actually refers to. The two superior interpretations of critics are that Roethke's poem describes abuse or a dance. The abuse seems much more apparent in "My Papa's Waltz" because of the language that Roethke uses. The dance is interpreted because the boy is innocent and knows nothing else therefore the abuse seems normal. The drunkenness of his Papa, the mother's

Child abuse is physical mistreatment that unfortunately happens to children everywhere around the world. In the same way, the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, describes and gives the readers an insight of what child abuse is like. The poem presents a relationship between a drunken father and his son. Therefore, the setting, sensory details, and word choice of the poem allows the reader to understand the violence the little boy goes through after his father returns from work.

“My Papa’s Waltz” is a poem by Theodore Roethke in which a young boy describes the actions of his father under the influence of alcohol. Like most children, the young boy has a naïve mind that observes his father's abuse differently. To the child, it is all a graceful waltz, but he is covering the truth with a happy illusion. This might come from the fact that he is a child and does not know enough or he knows too much and has to numb the pain. In “My Papa’s Waltz” Theodore Roethke uses dramatic irony, understatement, and hyperbole in order to express the idea that in order to numb the pain, one covers it with a happy illusion.

In Robert Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays,” the speaker is a man who is maturing in his perception of love. He is realizing that love can be shown in many strange ways, and that though he never seemed to show it, his father truly did love him. Every morning, his father would wake up in the cold, early morning, to bank the fire and heat the house, and he would not wake the rest of the house until the rooms were warm. The main character had a fear of his father because of his temper, however he did not understand that his father was not always angry with him, he was just tired. His father worked hard every day and never got much recognition. Now that the main character has matured, he can look back and see that everything his father did for the