My Papa’s Waltz
Theodore Roethke * Track #1 On Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke
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My Papa's Waltz by Theodore Roethke
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Theodore RoethkeAbout
Such waltzing was not easy makes the story show that his father is not abusive… just tipsey.
The title of this poem gives positive connotations. The word “Papa” suggests that the speaker greatly loves his father. And “Waltz” indicates simplicity.
The whole poem plays around with denotative/connota...
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My Papa’s Waltz Annotated
The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.
We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother’s countenance
Could not unfrown itself.
The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.
You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.