My Papa's Waltz Comments

Great images here from a great poet. How amazingly written this child's memory!

Very interesting poem Congrats being chosen as The Classic Poem Of The Day

A child's memory so vividly depicted. A wonderful poem embellished with nice rhyme and great images

Sylvia Frances Chan

Well articuated and nicely embellished with poetic rhyme and rhythm. A beautiful creation.....

from the first line we see " the whiskey on your breath could make a small boy dizzy

This poem is not about abuse. It is about a child sharing rare moment of closeness/affection with a hard-working father. The author himself shared this many times.

At every step you missed could mean the mistakes or regrets in the father's life. Hence the transfer of anger to the buckle symbolically. But like all good poetry, the reader brings their own experience to the poem, and it could be interpreted several ways. If that is Theodore Roethke's comment below, it seems he was beaten.

FOOTBALL'S COMING HOME

I get the feeling that this poeam is portraying that ITS COMING HOME

I'm not sure I'm alive either

daddy beat me not good

Whoever says this poem is about abuse has some unresolved issues. Seriously, get a therapist.

I think this poem is complex and could be about abuse. There are several indications to me beside the whiskey. Pans sliding off shelves, frowning moms and battered hands and beat heads and being marched off to bed. I don't think its about music.

Misty Memories Of My Father's Waltz the father was drunk on drink drunk on malt whiskey for a temperance committee the sight would not be pretty; in a child's idolizing eyes his father danced a pretty ditty for a father drunk on drink, to waltz music he stepped smartly; the father was drunk on drink drunk on rare treat whiskey for a hard working poor loving father money came not easy; he was finally in his home his castle celebrating his son's party for a loving hard working parent, love for his son shone brightly; the whiskey on his breath made a small boy dizzy but his son hung on like death in a love hug tightly; around the room they romped, till pans skid fell from kitchen selves his mother's countenance was not deadpan locked in rigid frowns; father's hand that held his son's wrist was battered on one knuckle at every step father missed, son's right ear sore scraped a buckle; but in a small son's eyes adoration adored the father's smiles father beat time on son's head with a palm caked hard by dirt; then waltzed the son off to bed still clinging to his Dad's shirt father is drunk with love, for music the waltz the child smiles; sharing the moment which speaks of dusted off childhood memories a child idolizing a hard working loving parent always caring giving; who even though drunk walks his son off to bed still forever loving ritually waltzing his son to his bedroom, in father's waltz memories; style smiles in malt tones make this golden gilt framed moment a rare treasured precious occurrence not a common nightly event; as enigmatic as enduring adoration a lapdog faithful loving child is relating at every step missed, a dreamlike memory reality held; Copyright © Terence George Craddock Written in September 2015 on the 21.9.2015. Inspired by the poem 'My Papa's Waltz' by Theodore Roethke. Dedicated to the poet Theodore Roethke.

The father is drunk but the love for the music, the waltz, the child sharing the moment, speaks of a child idolizing a hard working loving parent, caring; who even though drunk still lovingly ritually walks the child off to bed, waltzing to the bedroom. The style and tone of this poem, make the even more like a rare treasured occurrence than a common nightly event. But then We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother's countenance Could not unfrown itself. is as enigmatic as the enduring adoration of the lapdog faithful loving child relating At every step you missed/ My right ear scraped a buckle. Such lines seal a wonderful poem in dreamlike memory reality.

confident enough to hang on to the scary thing

This poem isn't about abuse, I know what abuse is like, and this is overall just the relating of a good memory. Even when a parent is abusive you do have some good memories of them long after they are gone; so regardless of whether or not Roethke was abused (personally I don't think Roethke was abused) , this is a poem about a good time in his life he shared with his father.

.......for me the title says this poem is to honor his papa....and I imagine to waltz with one's papa would always be a fond memory.......I loved reading this write....cause the poet kept it real.....truly some papas have to work very hard to provide for their families....their hands are a testament to this fact....

I think this is a complex memory for the author. Yes, this is a warm memory but there still could be some hidden emotions. The father was easily a drinker and a hard man maybe even abusive at times. I think Roethke's point was to make the reader think because depending on what you think the poems about the poem completely changes. I think the readers opinion is based on their outlook on life. This is a very complex and wonderful poem.