Reflections on Fatherhood Through Dance
TOASTTT
Strategy for Poetry Analysis
TOASTTT –
My Papa’s Waltz
T
- Title
My Papa’s Waltz
My thoughts on the title…
4
The title implies that the
narrator will reflect on a
dance, waltz, that either his
or her father or grandfather
does. Perhaps this dance is
special because it is a fond
childhood memory.
O
wn Words –
My Papa’s Waltz
Stanza 1
The whiskey on your
breath
Could make a small boy
dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not
easy.
4
Regardless of the
whiskey smell of
papa’s breath, the
speaker hung on and
danced along.
O
wn Words –
My Papa’s Waltz
.
Stanza 2
We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen
shelf;
My mother’s countenance
Could not unfrown itself.
The dance was rowdy
and playful, so much
so that they rattled the
pans.
The mother, however,
was unhappy about the
scene in her kitchen.
O
wn Words –
My Papa’s Waltz
..
Stanza 3
The hand that held my
wrist
Was battered on one
knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a
buckle.
4
As the father and child
danced hand in hand,
the child noticed that
the father’s hand was
worn (probably by
hard work or living);
when the father
stumbled, the child’s
ear hit the father’s belt
buckle.
O
wn Words –
My Papa’s Waltz
…
Stanza 4
You beat time on my
head
With a palm caked by
dirt,
Then waltzed me off to
bed
Still clinging to your
shirt.
4
As they danced, the
father, who had not
cleaned up after work
(or going out to a bar),
kept a beat by tapping
the child’s head; they
danced, regardless of
physical difficulty, all
the way to the child’s
bedroom.
A
nalyze Poetic Devices
4
Sensory images are
used throughout the
poem to bring reality
to the scene
and
to
reveal the loving
relationship between
father and child.
4
Smell – “whiskey on your
breath”
4
Sight – “unfrown,”
“hand…battered on one
knuckle,” “palm caked by
dirt”
4
Touch – “hung on like
death,” “hand held wrist,”
“right ear scraped buckle,”
“beat time on head,”
“clinging to your shirt.”
A
nalyze Poetic Devices (cont.)
4
Rhyme Scheme
– This
poem has an ABAB
rhyme scheme; stanza
1 – breath, dizzy,
death, easy.
4
Simile
– “hung on like
death”
Dizzy and easy are
examples of slant or
near rhyme.
This simile shows the tight
grip the child had so that
he and his father could
dance. The emphasis is on
the importance of the
ritual and relationship.
S
hifts
4
While there is no
distinct shift in attitude
in the poem, there is a
change in the child’s
attitude about his
mother and father. He
excuses his father’s
tipsy state while he
disapproves of his
mother’s frown.
4
He “hung on like
death” until they
“waltzed off to bed”
which shows a bond,
while he views his
mother more harshly
by stating “mother’s
countenance could not
unfrown itself.”
S
hifts (cont.)
4
There are four stanzas
in this “My Papa’s
Waltz” each
containing four lines.
T
one
4
Language and images
show a sense of
tenderness and love
between father and
child; however, the
images for some might
be troubling since the
father is clearly drunk
which in reality could
have been painful.
4
“hung on,” “clinging
to,” “we romped”
4
“whiskey on breath”,”
“every step you
missed,” “ear scraped
buckle”
T
one (cont.)
4
The author’s attitude
is one of love for his
father. It is obvious
that he enjoys this
playful ritual.
4
Sentence Structure and
rhythm – there is a
playful, steady rhythm
that makes this poem
enjoyable.
4
“beat time on my
head,” “romped until
the pans slid from the
kitchen shelf”
T
itle (again)
4
The word “My” in
My Papa’s Waltz
stands
out after reading the poem. The child is
proud of his dad and the bond that they
have.
4
My initial thoughts on the title were
relatively accurate in that I predicted that
this would be about a special dance between
father and child.
T
heme
4
The universal theme of this poem could be
that parent and child bonds are important
and create lasting memories.
The poem "My Papa's Waltz" reflects on a dance between a father and child, despite the father's whiskey breath and rough hands. The dance is rowdy, unsettling the mother, yet the bond between father and child remains evident. Physical details like worn hands and a dirt-caked palm reveal the father's labor, while the dance ends in a tender moment as the child is led off to bed. The poem explores themes of family dynamics, love, and childhood memories.
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Presentation Transcript
TOASTTT Strategy for Poetry Analysis T Title Consider the title and what it could mean for the poem. What do you think the poem is about based on the title? O Own Words In your own words, paraphrase the poem is about. Consider who is speaking, who is being spoken to, and whether there is an occasion for the poem. A Analyze poetic devices Note poetic devices like imagery, figures of speech like similes, metaphors, personification, and symbols. Also note sound devices like alliteration, onomatopoeia, assonance, and rhyme S Shifts Identify shifts (changes) in perspective by looking for key words (but, yet, however, although), stanza divisions, and changes in line or stanza length LIDDS language, images, details, diction, sentence structure (helps to assess the author s attitude, as well as the mood created by the reader) Consider the title again. What does it now reveal about the poem? What is the human experience or condition put forth by the poem? Consider what is taking place. T Tone T Title (again) T Theme
TOASTTT My Papas Waltz T - Title My thoughts on the title 4 The title implies that the narrator will reflect on a dance, waltz, that either his or her father or grandfather does. Perhaps this dance is special because it is a fond childhood memory. My Papa s Waltz
Own Words My Papas Waltz Stanza 1 4 Regardless of the whiskey smell of papa s breath, the speaker hung on and danced along. The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy.
Own Words My Papas Waltz . Stanza 2 The dance was rowdy and playful, so much so that they rattled the pans. The mother, however, was unhappy about the scene in her kitchen. We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother s countenance Could not unfrown itself.
Own Words My Papas Waltz .. Stanza 3 4 As the father and child danced hand in hand, the child noticed that the father s hand was worn (probably by hard work or living); when the father stumbled, the child s ear hit the father s belt buckle. The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle; At every step you missed My right ear scraped a buckle.
Own Words My Papas Waltz Stanza 4 4 As they danced, the father, who had not cleaned up after work (or going out to a bar), kept a beat by tapping the child s head; they danced, regardless of physical difficulty, all the way to the child s bedroom. You beat time on my head With a palm caked by dirt, Then waltzed me off to bed Still clinging to your shirt.
Analyze Poetic Devices 4 Smell whiskey on your breath 4 Sight unfrown, hand battered on one knuckle, palm caked by dirt 4 Touch hung on like death, hand held wrist, right ear scraped buckle, beat time on head, clinging to your shirt. 4 Sensory images are used throughout the poem to bring reality to the scene and to reveal the loving relationship between father and child.
Analyze Poetic Devices (cont.) 4 Rhyme Scheme This poem has an ABAB rhyme scheme; stanza 1 breath, dizzy, death, easy. 4 Simile hung on like death Dizzy and easy are examples of slant or near rhyme. This simile shows the tight grip the child had so that he and his father could dance. The emphasis is on the importance of the ritual and relationship.
Shifts 4 While there is no distinct shift in attitude in the poem, there is a change in the child s attitude about his mother and father. He excuses his father s tipsy state while he disapproves of his mother s frown. 4 He hung on like death until they waltzed off to bed which shows a bond, while he views his mother more harshly by stating mother s countenance could not unfrown itself.
Shifts (cont.) 4 There are four stanzas in this My Papa s Waltz each containing four lines.
Tone 4 Language and images show a sense of tenderness and love between father and child; however, the images for some might be troubling since the father is clearly drunk which in reality could have been painful. 4 hung on, clinging to, we romped 4 whiskey on breath , every step you missed, ear scraped buckle
Tone (cont.) 4 The author s attitude is one of love for his father. It is obvious that he enjoys this playful ritual. 4 Sentence Structure and rhythm there is a playful, steady rhythm that makes this poem enjoyable. 4 beat time on my head, romped until the pans slid from the kitchen shelf
Title (again) 4 The word My in My Papa s Waltz stands out after reading the poem. The child is proud of his dad and the bond that they have. 4 My initial thoughts on the title were relatively accurate in that I predicted that this would be about a special dance between father and child.
Theme 4 The universal theme of this poem could be that parent and child bonds are important and create lasting memories.
