MY PAPA'S WALTZ � PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT �2�
Poem Review
Ashford University
Introduction to Literature
ENG 125
My Papa's Waltz
The poem "My Papas Waltz" by Theodore Roethke makes good use of many literacy elements. The placement of similes, symbols, and imagery in a poem bring it to life. At first glance, one might see a drunk father dancing with his son, but after really analyzing the poem more you see that it was less loving and even somewhat rough.
"My Papas Waltz" is told from a first person's point of view. It is from the boy's viewpoint. Although the boy's full identity is never entirely revealed. Assuming it is a boy because of the relationship between him and his father. Even though, the main symbol in the poem is waltzing, the poem is not only about dancing. It is also about a boy and his relationship he has with his father.
The Waltz tells the reader something about the father son relationship and the bond between them.
The tone of "My Papa's Waltz" is sad, sentimental and ironic. The word waltz is in both the title, as well as the body, of the poem. The boy in the poem compares his unpleasant childhood to the Waltz. To make it even more ironic the poem also has a cheerful tone to it. The tone is light at times. The continuous rhythm, while reading the poem, has a light beat that is similar to the waltz. It expressions how much the boy looks up to his father. Though the poem starts out in a serious tone, it developments into a more playful one, reinforcing the caring concern of the boy also to his father. In "My Papa's Waltz", the words all work together creating the flow, and it adds to the...