Imagery is a useful literary tool that allows an author to use words to paint a bigger picture for the reader. This gives more complete meaning in short writings like a poem. In Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz”, imagery and word choice is used to convey deeper interpretations of what is being stated on the surface. He carefully chose his words so each line has deep meaning and gives a better insight of the horrible relationship of a young boy and his father. 

The poems opening line states, “The whiskey on your breathe; Could make a small boy dizzy” (Line 1-2). By beginning the poem in such an outspoken manner the author is showing the importance of the father’s alcoholism within the young boys life.  The potency of the whiskey on the father's breath made the boy feel the same effect as his father. Also, whiskey is typically drank by older men after a long day at work to help them relax. The amount the father drank was “way” past the typical one or two glasses. Meaning he is not just drinking to relax, he is drinking to deal with his own issues in an unhealthy manner. “But I hung on like death; Such waltzing was not easy” (Line 3-4). Waltzing is used in an ironic context because it is typically a very beautiful and peaceful dance between two willing partners. There is a struggle between the father and son. They are acting in contrasting manners; the father is taking his frustrations out on his son, while the son is trying to subdue his father by hanging on. 

Within the second stanza there is an apparent struggle between the two; “We romped until the pans; Slid from the kitchen shelf” (Line 5-6). The imagery changed drastically in this stanza due to Roethke’s use of the word “romped” in comparison to the word “waltzing”. Romping is typically a struggle or fight between two individuals. The son is still trying to subdue his drunken father but now he fights back enough so that pans are falling. The next line states, “My mother’s countenance; Could not unfrown itself” (Line 7-8). The boy’s mother disapproves of how the father behaves but she is helpless because if she intervenes she will be the one “waltzing.” Women in abusive relationships are scared of the consequences if they react in what is viewed as a negative way to the abuser’s actions. She is obviously displeased by what is occurring and must want to help her son but she cowers from the situation. 

The romp continues in the next stanza, “The hand that held my wrist; Was battered on one knuckle” (Line 9-10) A battered knuckle correlates with punching an object. The father obviously has an anger problem and must get into fights with other men or objects even. Also, it can be inferred that it was fairly recent he battered his knuckle because of the use of the word battered. It paints a picture of a still fresh and bloody knuckle. “At every step you missed; My right ear scraped a buckles” (Line 11-12) A consequence of getting really drunk is the loss of balance causing his son to stumble with him due to the father’s tight grip on his wrist. Also, the boy is only about waist high of a grown man, meaning he must only be between the ages of six and seven. This is an awful situation for a boy this young to be dealing with alone. 

The poems final stanza begins with, “You beat time on my head” (Line 13). A young boy can mature a lot when dealing with an alcoholic and abusive father. He must become self-sufficient and learn how to stand up for himself. By “beating time on (his) head” he is in theory forcing a maturity in him that most children do not need to possess in order to survive. This type of maturity is the wrong kind as it can lead a young boy into trouble as he actually grows up. The father is teaching his son abuse is a normal response to unhappiness and this cycle usually repeats throughout the generations of a family. It also states that the father is beating him, “With a palm caked hard by dirt” (Line 14). The father must be in a blue collar line of work where he uses his hands a lot, such as construction. The fact that the father has not even cleaned himself up before his alcohol induced rampage occurred shows the level of importance alcohol is to him. Most people would relax by taking a hot shower to wash away the day’s dirt, but his idea of “relaxing” is drinking whiskey. The father, “Then waltzed me off to bed; still clinging to your shirt” (Line 15-16). The irony of waltzing is repeated to help “drive home” the imagery of the struggle from the beginning of the interaction all the way to finish. Also, the term “clinging” holds a sense of desperation in the boy. A young boy wants a connection with his father more so than a connection with a mother. A father is supposed to teach his child how to behave and should be a role model. The boy desperately wants to have a real father figure and “clings” onto the hope that one day his father will become one, no matter how poorly he is treated. 

Each stanza of the poem, “My Papa’s Waltz”, contain imagery that is used to show the brutal relationship between a father and son. Due to the imagery, inferences can be made about the deeper meaning behind the text. 
