My Papa’s Waltz BY THEODORE ROETHKE The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother’s countenance Could not unfrown itself. The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle; At every step you missed My right ear scraped a buckle. You beat time on my head With a palm caked hard by dirt, Then waltzed me off to bed Still clinging to your shirt. I think the easiest way to write a review on this poem, is to discuss whether or not the speaker is being abused, or simply hanging out and rough-housing with his father. But what really concerns me -- is that there is even a debate at all. Why is it that whiskey automatically makes readers race to the conclusion that any act following its consumption will result in abuse? Why do descriptions like -- "death," "My mother’s countenance Could not unfrown itself," "The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle," and "You beat time on my head," -- cause readers to assume abuse? And then why do statements like -- "We romped," and "waltzed me off to bed" -- cause readers to think of playful, affectionate horsing around? (Roethke). This is my answer. Toxic masculinity. First of all, based off of the statements above -- there are far more examples that signify abuse than ones that signify loving play. So why is it even a question whether or not it's about love or abuse? Is it because that when we read the loving statements it makes it easier to see the abusive statements as loving ones? What does that have to say about how we view relationships between father and son? If it is so easy to switch the abusive descriptions to loving ones based off of a few words what does that have to say about the way we view a loving father-son relationship? Is abuse considered okay, as long as there isn't "whiskey on your breath" (Roethke). Why does society even look at this poem and consider that it could be about love? Why is it okay that readers consider this poem to be about love since the speaker seems to be enjoying the romping and beating? Even if he is, why on earth should we be condoning it? I see this poem as a glaring example of the toxic traits our current world teaches men and boys to adopt in order to show their masculinity. It is discrepancies like the ones this poem awakens in us that shines a bright light on the the definition of "masculinity" we have today. This poem shows just how prevalent toxic masculine traits still are. Today we may accept the IDEA of toxic masculinity, but this poem proves just how accepting we are of the ACTIONS induced by toxic masculinity. My Papa's Waltz was not written in order to ask whether the father and son are in love, but whether or not YOU as the reader, can see the problem in the way they show their love. It is not about the fact that there is whiskey on the father's breath, but instead WHY the whiskey is the thing that makes readers see abuse instead of love. What we should really be seeing -- is the abuse that is disguised as love. And what we should be examining -- is why we would see the abuse as love, if alcohol wasn't involved. Works Cited Bertke, Amy, et al. “Writing the Nation.” HopeJennings.Com, Weebly.com, 2019, http://www.hopejennings.com/uploads/3/1/0/9/31098595/writing_the_nation_fa_2019.pdf.
2 Comments
Amy Conrad
10/6/2019 04:25:44 pm
Okay, explaining the stance of abuse (I say 'stance' lighty) as being derived from toxic masculinity was bold and I am here for it! It was such a deeper analysis into the reading that was really unique and so, so true. As a society we are so often to say abuse is love and I am so glad you dug deeper into that as whole through the poem!!
Reply
Jaimey Bly
10/6/2019 09:15:13 pm
Wow. I think you did a great job explaining this. Like you, I could not see how many could consider this poem about love. The verb usage does not explain a loving relationship between a father and a son. There is an issue in society for men to show masculinity. We should not accept the actions and stop holding men to this standard of being tough or "a girl".
Reply
Leave a Reply. |