My Papa’s Waltz: Theodore Roethke

Response Paper

Theodore Roethke was a German immigrant who was an American poet which characterized its imagination. Most of his poems were inspired by the image of his childhood like "My Papa's Waltz".

This poem at first reading creates an image of an abusive father who comes home and beats his son. But it is a complete opposite expression. The poem "My Papa's Waltz" is positively and related to the son's memories which are still fresh with all the details after he is grown. It is about the relationship between a father and son who spend his time at the end of the hard working day in an awkwardly manner.

Father who comes home and dances in an awkwardly manner to spent some time with his son before he goes to bed. The boy's father works all day and comes home at time of his son's bed. He wants to spend some time with his son and so the author describes the waltzing memories of a boy with his father dancing on his feet.