My Papa Waltz

The interaction of "My Papa Waltz" is marked by fear of a young boy. In the first part the small boy describes hanging on like death, which supports the fear factor of abuse at the hand of his father. Part two of the poem supports the fear of the small boy as well because it appears that a fight has happened between the young boy and the father. In part three the battle that instilled the fear has occurred. In part four the child is punished by going to bed. "Waltzed" does not fir the traditional denotation of the word. Waltz is not about a dance between a child and his father but the physical control the father has over his son.