HOME ALONE

 

My family's gone; there's no one home.

It's only me who's home alone.

I shouldn't hear a single squeak.

There shouldn't even be a creak,

So what's that thumping that I hear?

It must mean one thing: death is near.

"You're an adult, you'll be just fine."

I tell myself as I dial "nine"...

Was that a knock upon the door?

My heart beats faster than before

I know it's closed; I've checked the lock.

At least my killer knows to knock?

I cannot sleep, though I'm in bed.

I've made amends with God instead.

If He decides that it's my time,

Then this will be my very last rhyme.

I hear a bang and then a break.

My head shoots up; there's no mistake!

I turn my music volume high

So I won't hear the way I die.

I run upstairs, desk lamp in hand.

Over my head, ready to land,

And right before it did just that..

I remembered - I have a cat

BIODATA

·         Unknown poet

·         Published poems titled Dreaming in color and Alive.

·         Most of her poems are inspired by things that happen in daily life.

·         The poem was written when the author’s family left for a vacation. Knowing the house was empty, she remembers sitting in her room and jumping at every creak. Then, she realized she got a little worked up so she decided to write a funny poem. 

 

WHAT DOES HUMOR GOT TO DO WITH IT

The poem is funny because the persona is a coward and very dramatic. He/she describes that things that supposed to be ordinary such as the sound of the door and the sound of the squeaking floor became unusual when he/she was staying alone at home. Actually, it turned out to be a cat.  

 

LITERARY DEVICES

●     Assonance

i) Stanza 1, line 1: "My family's gone; theres no one home."

ii) Stanza 2, line 2: "It must mean one thing: death is near."

iii) Stanza 6, line 3: "And right before it did just that."

 

●     Alliteration

i) Stanza 2, line 1: "So what's that thumping that I hear?"

ii) Stanza 2, line 4: "I tell myself as I dial "nine"..."

iii) Stanza 3, line 4: "At least my killer knows to knock."

iv) Stanza 4, line 2: "I've made amends with God instead."

v) Stanza 6, line 2: "Over my head, ready to land."

 

●     Onomatopoeia

i) Stanza 1, line 3: "I shouldn't hear a single squeak."

ii) Stanza 1, line 4: "There shouldn't even a creak,"

iii) Stanza 2, line 1: "So what's that thumping that I hear?"

iv) Stanza 3, line 1: "Was that a knock upon the door?"

v) Stanza 5, line 1: "I hear a bang and then a break."

 

MEANING OF THE POEM

The poet is trying to tell that sometimes people tend to overthink and end up putting themselves into a bad situation. When we think about it mindfully, it actually has nothing to do with and harmless.

 

MESSAGE

This poem is a reminder that things aren't always as bad as they seem. We often let our minds wander, making a situation seem worse than it is.