# Childhood and Family in Poetry

> Theme guide for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

The book is filled with poems about children, their development, family dynamics, and the joys and frustrations of parenthood, from a child's first words to sibling rivalry and parental discipline.

## Where it surfaces

- [In the Wake of the News](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/in-the-wake-of-the-news): Brother Jim's first word and the affectionate verses to the 'New Arrival' highlight family bonds and childhood milestones.
- [The Youngest One Breaks In](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/the-youngest-one-breaks-in): The chapter focuses on a child's first word and the family's joyful reaction.
- [To the Latest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/to-the-latest): The poem centers on the arrival of a new family member and the narrator's protective love, highlighting familial bonds.
- [A Mysterious Antipathy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/a-mysterious-antipathy): Focuses on sibling rivalry and the complex emotions within a family.
- [Parting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/parting): The poem centers on a father's departure from his three young sons, highlighting family bonds and the emotional weight of separation.
- [Bib Ballads](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/bib-ballads): The poems center on the father-son relationship, capturing the humor and challenges of raising a young child.
- [His Sense of Humor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/his-sense-of-humor): The parent-child dynamic is central, as the father/mother gently critiques the son's behavior while acknowledging their resemblance.
- [Speech Economy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/speech-economy): The chapter focuses on a child's early language development within the family setting.
- [Taste](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/taste): The poem captures a domestic scene where a child's innocent and quirky preferences puzzle the adult, highlighting the unique bond and observations within family life.
- [His Wonderful Choo-Choos](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/his-wonderful-choo-choos): The poem captures the domestic scene of a child's playful construction and the parent's mixed feelings.
- [Cousinly Affection](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/cousinly-affection): The poem centers on the bond between cousins, highlighting the affectionate and sometimes rough play typical of family relationships.
- [Decision Reversed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/decision-reversed): The child's innocent joy on Christmas morning transforms the narrator's frustration into tenderness.
- [The Grocery Man and the Bear](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/the-grocery-man-and-the-bear): The chapter centers on a parent or caregiver telling a story to a child, highlighting the intimate bond and the child's imaginative engagement.
- [Coming Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/coming-home): The poem centers on the return of a child to the family home, emphasizing the joy and disruption that children bring.
- [His Memory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/his-memory): The poem centers on the father-son relationship and the child's innocent perspective.
- [The Eternal Greeting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/the-eternal-greeting): The poem centers on the father-child relationship, exploring the dynamics of affection and expectation within the family.
- [Guess Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/guess-again): The dynamic between child and father, where the child's offer to help is a playful ruse.
- [The Heckuses](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/the-heckuses): The chapter centers on a child's imaginative creation of a family and the parent's bemused reaction.
- [The New Plaything](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/the-new-plaything): The poem centers on the introduction of a new sibling and the family dynamics surrounding the event.
- [The Phantom Sister](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/the-phantom-sister): The chapter centers on a child's imaginative play and the family's loving response to his invented sister.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/themes/childhood_and_family
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/themes