Question

“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.
Which of the following can be observed about this poem?

• A. The form of the poem is that of the Petrarchan sonnet.
• B. There is a simile in the first stanza.
• C. Images in the last two stanzas suggest that the father is a working-class man.
• D. The poem is in rhyming couplets.

Hint:

In poetry, similes often compare two unlike things using "like" or "as," and themes like working-class life can be inferred from descriptive imagery.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B, C

Step 1: Understanding the question.
The question asks about notable characteristics of Theodore Roethke's poem, particularly focusing on its form and content.
Step 2: Analysis of options.
(A) Incorrect: The poem does not follow the Petrarchan sonnet form, which typically has 14 lines with a specific rhyme scheme. This poem is free verse with varying line lengths.
(B) Correct: The first stanza includes a simile: “But I hung on like death,” comparing the speaker's grip to death.
(C) Correct: The last two stanzas, describing physical labor and hardship (e.g., “beat time on my head” and “palm caked hard by dirt”), suggest the father’s working-class identity.
(D) Incorrect: The poem does not consist of rhyming couplets but follows a more irregular pattern.
Step 3: Conclusion.
Options (B) and (C) correctly describe the use of a simile and the portrayal of the father's working-class background, while options (A) and (D) do not apply to the poem's structure and themes.
Final Answer: (B), (C)