How Does Theodore Roethke Use Mental Images In Poetry

Painting a Mental Picture in Poetry

Imagery functions as a poem’s five senses and is the language that transports the reader to a time, place or experience hand-picked by the author. It is of utmost importance in regards to inspiring feelings and manifesting the author’s ideas into a mental picture. Four poems, “My Papa’s Waltz,” “Bogland,” “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” and “Fire and Ice” explore the power of imagery in a way that allows the reader to mentally visualize the elements of the poem. “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke introduces two characters, a father and son, who seemingly have a violent relationship. Although there are many different images within the poem, Roethke focuses on one main image – the waltz. The narrator’s point of view in this poem is intertwined with what he remembers as an adult and with how he felt as a young boy waltzing with his father. His words circle around in a waltzing motion, bringing a dueling, yet combined perspective. The first stanza begins with a description on “the whiskey on Papa’s breath,” and how the stench “could make a small boy dizzy.” Immediately we understand that this is an adult’s memory because a small boy may not even
However, he circles around and says, “But I hung on like death/such waltzing was not easy.” In these lines, you can see the image of a scared young boy, clinging to his father, who is scared,