Have you ever heard the name Theodore Roethke? Theodore is an American poet who influenced many people. He wrote several important poems such as "The Waking" or "In a Dark Time". In this essay I will discuss Theodore's life and influence, his teaching, and his poetry. Now I will talk about Theodore's life. First I will talk about Theodore's life and his influence on the lives of others. Theodore was born in Saginaw, [Michigan,] on May 25, 1908 (SIRS). Theodore's childhood was quite troubled. Theodore's father was a drunkard and did little as his father should have done. Theodore very often feared that he would turn into his father, and eventually that fear consumed him, and he became his father (Dormaier). Theodore was also a small, sickly, sensitive child (UW). As Theodore grew up and went to college, he drank to fit in with a group of friends who thought "Brains were sissies", this put more and more pressure on Theodore, as he was quite sensitive, but had no one to talk about his emotions (Poetry Foundation)....