"My Papa's Waltz" is a poem by Theodore Roethke, first published in 1942, that portrays, on the surface, a scene of a father and son dancing around the house. However, the poem is written with careful ambiguity, and it is equally possible to read it as a poem portraying child abuse.
Key Aspects of My Papa’s Waltz
Tone
The poem's tone is oddly straightforward, but careful in each of its word choices.
Setting
The poem is set in the home of the speaker and his parents.
Point of view
The poem is written in first person from the point of view of a "small boy," and addresses the boy's father using second person.
Character development
It would be imprecise to say that "My Papa's Waltz,"...
