Posted by Sara Dastoum (24.10.25.68) on June 28, 2005 at 3:19:19 p.m.:
In Reply to: Re: "My Papa's Waltz" posted by Lourdes Hernandez on June 27, 2005 at 11:35:02 p.m.:
Yes, I agree that the poem is basically about a boy being mistreated by his drunk father. But like you said, the last two lines really strikes a chord. The fact that the boy can be mistreated like that, and despit that, still opt to cling to his father.. its really powerful.
>Poem by” Theodore Roethke” My impression to this poem I believe that this boy was mistreated by his father. But the boy has a strong mind. I also think that the mother can not do anything about it. Then the rhyme of the last two sentences the “waltzed me off to bed “ is a little confusing. But in the ending says “Still hanging to your shirt” the boy meaning no matter what you do to me I will be here.