Poem 1 - A House, A Home Summary Class 6 English Honeysuckle Poem 1

Introduction 

About the Poet 

Lorraine M. Halli was born in Minnesota, USA, on 27 April 1921, to Arther R.W. Olsen and Lillie W. Olsen. She wrote many creations but, “A House, A Home” poem was one of the best creations among them. She passed away at the age of 85 on September 7, 2006.

Stanza Wise Summary & Word Meanings

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.

Summary of the First Stanza

In this stanza, the poet wants to say what a house is. A house is made up of various types of building materials, like bricks, stones, and window glass. It has different things like eaves, chimneys, tile floors, a yard, stucco, roofs, and doors, etc. All these things are lifeless and emotionless. So a house is just a building. The word house can be used as a non-living thing. A house is considered here as an emotionless thing because it’s just a building where a family spends life.

Parts of a House

Word Meanings in the First Stanza

1. Yard: An outdoor area typically adjoining a house, often used for recreational or gardening purposes.
2. Eaves: The lower edges of a roof that overhang a building's face.
3. Chimneys: Vertical structures, often brick or stone, designed to carry away smoke from a fireplace or furnace.
4. Stucco: A material made of aggregate, binder, and water, often used as a decorative coating for walls.
5. Roof: The upper covering of a building.
6. Tile Floors: Flooring covered with ceramic or other types of tiles.

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.

Summary of the Second Stanza

In this stanza, the poet wants to say what a home is. A home is made of loving family members, like brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers. They love and respect one another. They are unselfish for one another and share kindness with one another. This shows that your loved ones love and take care of you as well. Through the words of the poet, we can say that a home is a place where love, belief, and care exist.

Word Meanings in the Second Stanza

1. Family: A group of individuals related by blood or strong emotional bonds.
2. Doing for Others: Engaging in actions that benefit or help others.
3. Unselfish Acts: Actions performed without selfish motives; selflessness.
4. Kindly Sharing: Sharing in a generous and considerate manner.
5. Showing: Expressing or demonstrating.

Complete Summary

The poem “A House, A Home” is penned by the famous poet Lorraine M. Halli. In this poem, “A House, A Home” the poet tells the difference between a house and a home. It is clearly said what a house is and what a home is. Firstly, he talks about the house that a house is a non-living thing that is made up of bricks, stones, and glass. All these things do not have emotions or feelings. There is a yard in a house, which is just a place for a house. A house is built of many more things, like eaves, chimneys, tile floors, etc., but these things are also emotionless. The stucco, roof,lots of doors, and windows of the house can only show the external beauty, whereas the beauty of a house is expressed by the people living inside it.

 Secondly, after telling us about a house, the poet tells us about a home. A home has a loving family that cares for others and does good deeds for them. It is made of loving brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers. Family members living under one roof are our true companions in happiness and sorrow. They do unselfish acts and share their emotions, like kindness and love, with one another. It shows that you love your loved ones. These things make a difference between a house and a home. “A House, A Home” addresses the common topic of desiring a place of one’s own. It goes into the emotional journey of people who find peace of mind in the creation of a real home.