Waltzing With Papa

My Papa's Waltz
by Theodore Roethke

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.

_______________________

This poem is intriguing to analyze, because although it is seemingly straightforward, it lends itself to multiple interpretations. You can hear the poet read the poem here. As you consider the discussion questions, keep in mind that Roethke's father died when he was 14.

Explore the violent imagery in the poem. Are readers supposed to fear Papa?

What imagery and language conveys a warm and positive view of Papa?

What is the speaker's attitude toward his father? Is it one-dimensional or complicated?

What role does the mother play in the family and the poem?

Based on the details in the poem ("palm caked hard by dirt," "whiskey on your breath"), write a character study of Papa. What kind of a man is he?

What is the effect of the poem's rhythm and rhyme?

Please post a one-paragraph response in a new post--not in the comments. Read your classmates' posts, and comment on at least two of them. In a blog post, you can use short paragraphs and link to outside information or include photos or video. Make your post as "bloggy" as possible.