H4 My papa's Waltz

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Welcome

Theme of this period

Family

What is family?

Find a picture that fits the theme "family" for you. You might have to explain your answer

The poem

the title: "My papa's waltz"

What is a waltz?

My papa's waltz

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.

by Theodore Roethke

What is the poem about?

Look at the poem.  Give each line that rhymes, the same letter. = the rhyme scheme

My papa's waltz

The whiskey on your breath               a

Could make a small boy dizzy;          b

But I hung on like death:                      a

Such waltzing was not easy.              b

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.

by Theodore Roethke

Is Rythm important in this poem?

1. yes
2. no

When you are reading a poem

- Look at the title, it often gives a clue on how/what to read

- Look at visual clues that may stand out, they are a choice form the author

- Look closely at the language that is used. What does the writer actually mean?

After listening to the poem. Explain how rythm is used in the poem and why.

simile

"a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid"

--> e.g. as brave as a lion 

This simile shows that who is talked about, is very brave in his actions. He has the bravery of a lion, which shows that he is not afraid to do what is needed. (A lion is a powerful creature, known as the king of the jungle. This is also a way to show that the person is in a high position.)

another example of a simile

"they fought like dogs and cats"

Cats and dogs are known to not like each other, so saying they fight like them, means that they fight a lot. They cannot stand each other.

Find an example of simile in the poem

My papa's waltz

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.

by Theodore Roethke

Metaphor

"A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison."

- A metaphor states that one thing is another thing

- It equates those two things not because they actually are the same, but for the sake of comparison or symbolism

- If you take a metaphor literally, it will probably sound very strange (are there actually any sheep, black or otherwise, in your family?)

example of metaphor

from Disney's Frozen "My life has been a series of doors in  my face"

"Love is a battlefield." "Baby, you're a firework" "I am titanium"

--> these all create a picture to talk about a thing. For example by comapring love to a battlefield, it creates a feeling of fighting and battles; more negative emotions and images.

What is the metaphor in the poem?

My papa's waltz

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.

by Theodore Roethke

discussing the test

ask questions if needed

You're like a sun, so radiant

1. simile
2. metaphor
3. rhyme scheme

It’s been a real circus at home since Mom went on vacation.

1. simile
2. metaphor
3. rhyme scheme

Which is a simile?

1. life is like a box of chocolates
2. let's go paint the town red
3. Larry is like his twin Louie
4. Love is a battlefield

Which is a metaphor?

1. life is like a box of chocolates
2. let's go paint the town red
3. Larry is like his twin Louie
4. Love is a battlefield