A House, A Home (Poem)
What is the difference between a house and a home? Discuss
it with your partner. Then read the poem.
What is a house?
It’s brick and stone
and wood that’s hard.
Some window glass
and perhaps a yard.
It’s eaves and chimneys
and tile floors
and stucco and roof
and lots of doors.
What is a home?
It’s loving and family
and doing for others.
It’s brothers and sisters
and fathers and mothers.
It’s unselfish acts
and kindly sharing
and showing your loved ones
you’re always caring.
LORRAINE M. HALLI
The poem captures the difference between a house and a home beautifully.
(Materialistic) => House
A house is described with physical details: bricks, stones, wood, windows, and doors. It's a physical structure made of materials.
(Sentimental) => Home
A home, however, is described with emotional and relational words: love, family, kindness, caring. It's a feeling of belonging and connection created by the people who live there.
Summary:
The poem contrasts a "house" with a "home," highlighting that a house is made of physical materials like brick, stone, and wood, while a home is defined by love, family, selflessness, and care for others. It emphasizes the emotional and relational aspects that transform a mere structure into a place of belonging and warmth.
Poetic Devices:
The poem uses several poetic devices to create a clear distinction between a house and a home. Here's a breakdown:
Repetition: The poem uses repetition of the question "What is a house?" and "What is a home?" This emphasizes the focus on defining these two concepts.
Parallelism: The structure of the poem is parallel. Each stanza follows the same pattern: a question followed by a list describing the concept. This parallelism creates a clear comparison between the physical aspects of a house and the emotional aspects of a home.
Simple Language: The poem uses straightforward language, making it accessible to a wide audience. This simplicity enhances the clarity of the message about the difference between a house (materialistic) and a home (sentimental).
1. Working with the Poem
1. Do you agree with what the poet says? Talk to your partner
and complete these sentences.
(i) A house is made of —————————————————––——— .
(ii) It has ————————————————————————————— .
(iii) A home is made by —————————————————––——— .
(iv) It has —————————————––——————————————— .
2. Now complete these sentences about your house and home.
(i) My house is —————————————————––———————
—————————————————––—————————————— .
(ii) The best thing about my home is ————————————––——
—————————————————––—————————————— .
Ans1:
(i) A house is made of brick, stone, cement, hard wood, window glass, and a yard.
(ii) It has eaves, chimneys, tile floors, stucco, roof, and lots of doors.
(iii) A home is made by family members.
(iv) It has unselfish acts, sharing, and caring for the loved ones.
Ans2:
(i) My house is very big. My house has bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, prayer room and dining room. I love my house so much.
(ii) The best thing about my home is homes offer security and feel affection for human life and it is one of the most important things.