Poetry Analysis: “My Papa’s Waltz”

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step” and stumble. Roethke then states, “You beat time on my head”, as if he were keeping time for a dance or a rhythm on the boys head (13). This all enlarges the negativity and sadness of the poem. The small boy also states, “But I hung on like death” (3). This proves that the boy was thinking about death, but dangling on to prevent it. During this whole incident the boy’s mother sits and watches as the abuse continues.
Furthermore, the mother’s apathy towards the battering of her son is even more depressing and negative. The author says, “My mother’s countenance / Could not unfrown itself”(7-8). This suggests that the mother has adapted to her husband’s abusive behavior and has therefore decided to ignore them. This again increases the sorrow throughout the story.
On the other hand, the opposing side may view the poem differently. Some people may believe that the father is not abusive, but is just having fun. They may also believe that the father and son are actually ...

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