The Use of Literary Techniques in "My Papa's Waltz"

Any interpretation of "My Papa's Waltz" has to take into account the complexity of the speaker's feelings that are brought about by his father's waltz. A dance should bring two people closer together. The dance in this poem acts that way, yet the darker side of this waltz, which is a powerfully unsettling emotion under the surface of this poem, dominates the mood, and the love and intimacy of the dance do not make a …

…that repeatedly scrapes a young boys tender ear (12), and finally a dirt-caked hand that strikes the boys head repeatedly under the guise of keeping time for the waltz. The fact that the speaker says, You beat time on my head" (14), instead of "kept time" reinforces this interpretation. The waltzing ritual is not about dancing; it is about a man who asserts and maintains physical control over his son even as he loses control over himself.