How Is Figurative Language Used In Theodore Roethke's Poetry

Theodore Roethke is a great poet, who uses figurative language to help the reader of his work to help grasp the topics that he writes about. In one of his most well known works, “My Papa’s Waltz,” he uses imagery and simile throughout that poem. However, his other poems practice figurative language the same amount or even more than “My Papa’s Waltz.” He often blends similes, imagery, and enjambment into many of his poems. The combination of figurative language helps the author create his own unique style in his writings.

Theodore Roethke practices imagery in many of his poems.In the poem “Journey into the Interior,” he writes, “Reeds beaten flat by wind and rain / Grey from the long winter,” (Roethke 9-10). The reeds show how change affects nature and people. “In a Dark Time,” conveys more imagery when Roethke writes, “All natural shapes blazing unnatural light” (Roethke 18). He wrote the excerpt because it describes the . More imagery can be found in the poem

In “The Far Field,” Roethke wrote, “I dream of journeys repeatedly: / Of flying like a bat deep into a narrow tunnel” (1-2). The lines are explaining one of the dreams that the narrator of this story has, as he frequently dreams of traveling. Additionally, in another poem, the author writes, “But I hung on like death” (Roethke “My Papa’s Waltz” 3). Here, the narrator is describing how hard he held on to his father as they tried to dance. Also, in “In a Dark Time,” Roethke uses more similes when he writes, ”My soul, like some heat maddened summer fly” (20). This simile is describing the restlessness of the narrator’s soul, and how he wants to do more. Lastly, in the “The Geranium,” the author writes, “Dried out, she creaked like a tulip” (Roethke 14). The narrator is describing a flower of his. This flower, a Geranium, and it is in terrible shape, and about to die. Certainly, Roethke applies many similes into many of his