Poetry Analysis: "My Papa's Waltz"

“My Papa’s Waltz,” by Theodore Roethke is about a boy recalling a time with his father. The title makes readers believe this would be a cheerful memory with his father, but it is the exact opposite. In my opinion, the author is recalling a time where his father was abusive towards him. I think the author is really trying to make readers think whether the man and son are actually dancing, or if it is the opposite. The use of lines such as “you beat time on my head with a palm caked hard by dirt,” is a good example that this poem is about abuse. I think if it was supposed to be a cheerful memory, than “whisky on your breathe,” and “my right ear scraped a buckle,” would not have been used to describe the memory.