In a poem the writer lets out their thoughts and feelings in either a figurative or literal manner. In many cases nobody other than the writer understands the true meaning of the poem, but many so called "experts", attempt to figure it out. The poem "My Papa's Waltz", by Theodore Roethke, does not reflect his childhood with his father, but rather reflects his thought and feelings the day he wrote this poem. As in many cases, something not meant to be taken seriously or literally, is taken much too seriously and literally.
ÃÂÃ ÃÂÃ ÃÂÃ ÃÂÃ ÃÂÃ ÃÂÃ ÃÂÃ ÃÂÃ Today, we live in a world where we have a hard time distinguishing fact from fiction. One of the most controversial and mistaken piece of literature in today's world would be the Christian/Catholic Bible. The Catholic Church's position on their bible changes almost as often as a new Pope is voted in. Sometimes it is asked for you to take the bible word for word, other times you must take it metaphorically.
This is very much like poetry, for you which way fits best, once you have found that way, take all you can from it, but that most certainly doesn't mean that your way is right. Did Theodore Roethke's dad abuse him, or was this a happy memory of his childhood, or was it so completely different that we never imagined it, like he saw another child happily dancing with their father while he was out shopping, or it had to do with the country's political standing at the time, as Theodore Roethke is dead, so will stay the poem, until it is read off again, taken in, analyzed, figured out, then spit back out, another theory, to rest among the words of the now dead poem laying in the paper. Dead, until it is read...