Using words such as “clinging”, “scraped”, and “romped”, the poet, Theodore Roethke, describes details of a cheerful childhood memory, supporting the idea that the poet was trying to share a happy moment in the life of a young boy. The poet describes how a young boy and his father “romped” around the kitchen turning it into a chaotic mess. They twirled clumsily until the boy felt sick, but despite it being hard to keep up with his drunk father, the boy was not ready to put an end to their exciting night. The poet also uses diction and rhythm in his stanzas to further describe the way a young boy fondly remembers the time he shared with his father.

The poet describes a scene where a young boy and his father are chasing each other playfully around their kitchen. The boy and his father “romped until the pans / slid from the kitchen shelf” (Roethke 5-6). In spite of his mother’s disapproving expression, the boy does not mind that his father is acting drunkenly. The boy is actually fascinated with his father’s lively behavior. The poet uses the word “romped” to describe how the boy and his father danced inelegantly while destroying everything in their path. The pair was so energetic that the pans began to fall off the kitchen shelf creating chaos. The boy reflects on this childhood memory with great joy and affection. 

The young boy is waltzing around his house with his inebriated father. The boy describes the incessant twirling and the strong liquor smell on his father’s breath “could make a small boy dizzy” (Roethke 2). The boy continues to hang on to his father “like death”, despite it being hard for his small body (Roethke 3). As the boy and his father attempt to dance, they spin continuously around their kitchen. This activity leaves the boy feeling light-headed and a bit sick; at the same time, he feels satisfied because he was able to share this happy moment with his father. The boy associates the feeling of dizziness with this father-son memory. Years later he still fondly remembers the night he and his father danced until they felt sick.

The poet explains the boy’s “right ear scraped a buckle” while he was dancing with his father (Roethke 12). The father’s drunkenness affects his ability to waltz. He continuously misses steps which makes it hard for his young son to follow. To make it easier, the boy probably gets on his father’s feet and mimics his every move. The boy’s face is right at his father’s waist and his right ear scrapes his father’s belt buckle every time they miss a step. The boy cheerfully recalls the sound his father’s belt buckle made while they danced clumsily. Knowing they could share this funny moment together brings the boy comfort.  

As they performed their uncoordinated dance routine, the boy’s father “beat time” on the boy’s head (Roethke 13). The waltz is a meticulous dance with a particular step count that has to be followed when dancing. As they waltz, the boy’s father tried to keep the beat by tapping on the boy’s head. Even though this did not help them dance more gracefully, the boy still liked when his father tapped his head. Feeling his father’s hard working hand on his head, reassured the boy of this father’s love for him.  

After a tiring night, the father waltzed the boy off to bed, but the boy was “still clinging to [his father’s] shirt” (Roethke 16). The word “clinging” tells the reader that the boy was tightly embracing his father and he was not ready to let go. The poet uses the word “clinging” to also describe the emotional attachment the boy had to his father. Despite it being physically exhausting to keep up with his drunk father, the boy was not ready to put an end to their cheerful night. The meaning behind “clinging” reminds the reader that the poet loves is father and wishes to continue dancing even if it is challenging for him. 

Theodore Roethke uses diction and rhythm to portray the way a young boy fondly remembers the time he shared with his father. The poet uses diction to accurately describe the specific feelings the boy expressed while he was dancing with his father. The poet includes a mixture of both monosyllabic and polysyllabic words. The combination of types of words can be associated with the combination of feelings, like love and excitement, the boy expressed throughout the poem. The specific order in which the poet decides to arrange his words creates the syntax. In “My Papa’s Waltz”, the poet plays with the syntax to create rhythm and give emphasis to certain words that hint the reader that the young boy is recalling a positive childhood memory. Roethke explains “But [the boy] hung on like death / Such waltzing was not easy” (Roethke 3-4). When this verse is read, the rhythm places importance on words such as “hung” and “waltzing” which are key to understanding that the boy loved his father dearly since he did not want to let him go. 

Many people consider “My Papa’s Waltz” to tell a sad story of a young boy and his abusive father; however, after analyzing the poem at a deeper level, it is easier to see the young boy loved his father and wanted to share a happier memory instead. Word choice and syntax play a key role in supporting this argument in Roethke’s father. When analyzing these elements in the poem, the reader can clearly connect with the characters and feel the love the son felt for his father. “My Papa’s Waltz” recreates a young boy’s joyful childhood memory.
