My Papa Waltz : 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 ...
TPFASTT of “My Papa’s Waltz” Title (initial reaction to it): Perhaps the title suggests to the reader that the poem will be about a child who is having a lively waltz with his father. Also, it may imply a childhood memory. Paraphrase: Lines 1-4: The waltz with the father was ...
The poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke is about a young boy with an abusive father. Their relationship is complicated. The father’s abusive behavior is being compared to the dance, the waltz. The waltz is supposed to be a happy, fun dance yet in this case it is not. The...