# Domestic Life in Poetry

> Theme guide for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

Everyday domestic scenes—parenting, household chores, family interactions—are depicted with warmth and realism, revealing both the trials and tenderness of home life.

## Where it surfaces

- [Help Wanted](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/help-wanted): The poem details the daily routines of childcare, such as washing faces, tidying toys, and preparing meals.
- [Exit Madge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/exit-madge): The nurse's departure and the care of the narrator's son underscore the domestic sphere affected by Madge's move.
- [Exalted Above His Fellows](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/exalted-above-his-fellows): Focuses on the household dynamics of attention and care given to a sick child, contrasting with the neglect of other family members.
- [Bib Ballads](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/bib-ballads): Everyday scenes at home—meals, discipline, and coming home—are vividly portrayed.
- [Goodbye Bill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/goodbye-bill): The voice from the easy chair and the references to shoes, rompers, and stockings highlight the everyday needs of a household.
- [A Visit from Young Gloom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/a-visit-from-young-gloom): The chapter centers on the disruption of household peace by a visiting baby, highlighting the challenges of family life.
- [Discipline](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/discipline): The scene of a father disciplining his child over a doughnut captures a common domestic struggle.
- [Inexpensive Guests](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/inexpensive-guests): Centers on the domestic routine of meals and the grocery bill, with imaginary guests as part of family life.
- [Welcome to Spring](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/welcome-to-spring): Focuses on the everyday parental task of bundling children for outdoor play, highlighting domestic routines.
- [Hesitation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/hesitation): The scene of a child napping and the speaker's duty to wake them reflects everyday domestic routines and care.
- [My Baby's Garden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/my-baby-s-garden): The garden is a domestic scene, with the baby's play and the family's involvement in his simple project.
- [Coming Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/coming-home): The poem personifies the house and its contents, highlighting the domestic setting and the impact of family life on the home.
- [His Lady Friend](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/his-lady-friend): The family dynamic is central, with the parent's perspective highlighting the disruption of daily domestic routines by the child's new interest.
- [Declaration of Independence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/declaration-of-independence): The poem captures everyday domestic scenes—meals, chair-lifting, and parental care—that frame the child's assertion of independence.
- [Geo. S. Albaugh](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/geo-s-albaugh): The description of his den and its decor reflects his personal domestic space.
- [H. M. Rowley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/h-m-rowley): Centers on the household task of rug cleaning, highlighting domestic routines and the introduction of new technology into the home.

## Links

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