In “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, Roethke incorporates many important concepts that dive into a deeper meaning within his writing. The general idea organized in “My Papa’s Waltz” is between a son and an apparent alcoholic father. From the title of the poem, one would assume that the father would be dancing, specifically with his young son. Roethke creates a setting in the kitchen where the father is waltzing around creating commotion. He is knocking over pans and causing havoc. He is clearly under the influence of alcohol at this point, and his young son is left in a state of confusion. The father also seems to be acting violently toward his son, and the reader is left to determine what is truly going on.  The child seems to be used to the situation as it must happen often. In the end, the father waltzes his son off to his bedroom. Throughout the poem, Roethke integrates many fascinating uses of symbols, imagery, and the irrefutable love a son has towards his father to create a complex poem that leaves readers thinking critically. 

As one reads through the poem, he or she would notice the smooth transition from stanza to stanza that makes the poem flow evenly all the way through like the waltz would. The symbolism of dance is apparent at full length in this poem. For example, when the speaker reveals, “We romped until the pans slid from the kitchen shelf” (lines 5-6). The waltz is supposed to be a gentle, serene dance that evokes happiness and love.  This contrasts completely with what is going on in the poem. In the poem, the dance is not smooth at all. The father is sloppy, messing things up in the kitchen, upsetting his wife, and unsettling his son.  The boy cries, “But I hung on like death” (line 3). This gives the reader the impression that the son is holding on for dear life, and that he is never going to let go. He is clearly upset, but at the same time he is still giving his father unconditional love.  Next, the speaker says, “At every step you missed My right ear scraped a buckle” (lines 11-12).  The father keeps messing up his steps, this could serve as a metaphor for the failures and blunders that he has made in his life and because of that he uses alcohol to help cope with his faults. 

While there is no significant evidence of abuse in this poem, Roethke tempts the reader to believe that there is an abusive relationship going on between the father and son with vivid imagery.  To start off the poem the speaker asserts, “The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy” (lines 1-2).  Right of the bat, we know the father is a drunk.  The son clearly knows the smell, and seems to be used to it at this point. So after the first few lines of the poem when one finds out the father has been drinking, the reader starts to paint a picture in his or her head where the father seems abusive.  Alcohol whether you like it or not, will always be associated with violence. Next, the reader finds out that the father has “battered” knuckles. With even more evidence against the father, the picture of abuse is beginning to seem clear. Next, the pure imagery of a belt is put into the readers head. While it will never be known for sure, when a belt is involved between a son and father one can only imagine abuse. When the sons ear scrapes his dad’s belt buckle, that seems to be the final straw on to whether the father is abusive or not. 

As one can tell, this father clearly has a lot to work on to repair his relationship with his family, but the son does not seem to even think about giving up on his father. As the father continually causes problems in the household, the son refuses to let go his love for his dad. He will stop at nothing to do whatever his father wants or needs him to do. This invites the idea that maybe before the father became an alcoholic, the relationship between the father and son was positive, and that he knows in the bottom of his heart that they can get back to that healthy relationship. From witnessing the events that are taking place, the reader does not see that happy relationship coming back any time soon, and worries for the son to get help. He seems delusional to the fact his father is not treating him properly and he needs to be able to find some inner strength to try and fix the problem. 

Roethke’s strong symbolism, imagery, and theme make up for an authentic poem that grabs a reader’s attention and leaves them guessing. The visual and symbolic aid he provides in his writing is pivotal in the points he is conveying in the poem. Without it, the poem would not be as profound. With the main idea of the poem being about complicated relationship between a father and son, each reader is able to freely interpret what is happening in his or her own way. Nobody will know for sure if the father is acting abusively toward his father, but the concrete statements the speaker make will make some readers jump to conclusions. That is what makes this poem so remarkable, one can use his or her past experiences and make a judgement call on what is happening. 
