The poem "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke is a "two tone" piece full of ambiguity. When readers approach this work they will arrive at one of two possible conclusions-that this is an adult's reflection of a memorable and joyous moment with his father or an unsettling description of child abuse, using waltzing as a metaphor.

On the lighter side, the first conclusion is of a sweet memory, which has evidence throughout the poem. The title "My Papa's Waltz" gives a lighter tone to the piece. The word "Papa" is a warm and affectionate word for father. Also, "waltz" is considered a more "elegant" form of dancing, which is giving the poem a softer appeal. The adult remembers that his Papa had smelt of whiskey while trying to teach him how to dance. When waltzing, the individual recalls that they "[...] romped until the pans/ Slid from the kitchen shelf"

On the dark side, each piece of evidence that supports the first conclusion is refuted in various other lines. "The whiskey on your breath/ Could make a small boy dizzy" (lines 1-2) depicts a drunken father whose breath is causing his small boy to become dizzy. The child hangs "[...] on like death," (line 3) casts a shadow over the piece. The reader sees the child resembling death rather than life, possibly because he is being beaten to death. The fact that they "romped" so hard that pans were falling suggests an aggressive act is taking place. The mother is watching the event with a frown on her face; one would assume if this was a joyous moment the mother would not be disapproving. The father is holding the child by the wrist instead of by the hand like common waltzing would be done. This suggests the child is being restrained rather than partaking in a mutual activity. The child also states, "T

Some common words found in the essay are:
Papa's Waltz, Theodore Roethke, papa's waltz, tone piece, negative positive, individual recalls, adjective describe, boy dizzy, joyous moment,
Approximate Word count = 613
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)