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  • Essay / Comparison of two poems: My Father's Waltz and My Winter Sundays

    Maintaining a family can be difficult. In many cases, fathers must work countless hours to keep their families afloat. Therefore, they rarely have time to interact and bond with their family, which creates problems between them in establishing a happy relationship with their children. The love that fathers give to their children can be taken for granted. The poems “My Papa's Waltz” by Theodore Roethke and “My Winter Sundays” by Hayden Robert illustrate this experience in two different scenarios. The poet in “My Papa's Waltz” describes the experience by remembering the times when he fought with his father. As the poet in “My Winter Sundays” describes the experience in a more sad and grateful way, the poet realizes how much his father has done for him. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayThe fathers in both poems are described in the same way because both poems talk about the problems of a working father. Theodore Roethke in “My Papa's Waltz” tells the story of a child and his memories that happened late at night with his father (possibly his own childhood). His memories seem to concern his father. His father appears to be an alcoholic as he is often drunk as he comes home late at night stinking of alcohol. Once his father comes home, he waits to waltz (dance) with him. The poem goes on to say that they danced until the kitchen pots slid off the kitchen shelf. The poem also describes the father as having beaten knuckles and rough palms, suggesting that he works hard and perhaps a lot. Finally, the father waltzed him to sleep in bed. In “These Winter Sundays,” Hayden Robert also tells the story of a child and his memories with his father (perhaps also his own childhood). His memories describe the times when his father would wake up each morning to get dressed for work in the cold darkness and before leaving, he would prepare the family for the morning. He prepared the family by gathering firewood and keeping the house warm, then waking the family. Even though he didn't receive any thanks, he still did it. Overall, the fathers in both poems are hard-working men, trying to provide for their families and rarely have time to bond with their children. In both poems, the poets describe a flashback of theirs with great respect and love for their fathers. The title “My Papa Waltz” suggests that the poet respected and loved his father. When children call their father "Daddy", it shows that they are close and that they admire and respect their father because "Daddy" is a more personal friendly word than "daddy" or "father". Also, the word "waltz" implies a joyful and formal dance. As a result, the title of Roethke's poem and the way he sometimes describes his father in the poem are generally positive. Another illustration of the child's respect and affection for his father is shown by the things he neglects and ignores in order to continue dancing with his father. For example, the child ignores the discomfort felt in his ear by scratching his belt buckle. Also, in the poem it says “the whiskey on your breath / Could make a little boy dizzy; / But I held on like death.” Roethke does not seem to fully approve of everything his father does to or for him, however, he still loves him despite his drunkenness and sometimes aggressive behavior. In Hayden's poem, he remembers his father as selfless and devoted: "On Sundays too, ? ».” 1942.