4.4 Home Sweet Home – Class 7 – Balbharati

Author: John Howard Payne

Genre: Lyric Poem / Sentimental Poem

Textbook: English Balbharati – Class 7

Board: Maharashtra State Board

English Summary

Home Sweet Home is a touching poem about the love and comfort of one’s home. The poet describes that even if one roams through palaces and pleasures, nothing compares to the charm and peace of home. He misses his humble thatched cottage, the singing birds, and the contentment of a simple life. The poet imagines his mother thinking of him while gazing at the moon from their cottage door, which deepens his sense of exile. He cherishes the smile of a father, the caress of a mother, and the solace found in family love. The repeated refrain “There’s no place like home” emphasises that home is the sweetest, most precious place on earth, giving warmth and peace beyond worldly splendour.

Theme / Central Idea

The poem glorifies the importance of home as the centre of love, peace, and happiness. It shows that wealth and grandeur cannot replace the emotional comfort of family and home.

Word Meanings

Figures of Speech (with examples)

1. Refrain – “Home, home, sweet, sweet home! There’s no place like home.” – repeated to stress importance of home.

2. Simile – Comparison of home’s charm with blessings from the sky.

3. Imagery – “The birds singing gayly, that come at my call” – creates a vivid mental picture.

4. Alliteration – “Pleasures and palaces” – repetition of ‘p’ sound.

5. Personification – Moon is shown as sharing feelings with mother and child.

Rhyme Scheme

The rhyme scheme of the poem is aabb in each stanza.

Personal Response Questions (5)

1. Why does the poet call home ‘sweet’?

   The poet calls home ‘sweet’ because it is filled with love, peace, and comfort. Unlike palaces, home provides warmth of family and emotional happiness.

   
   

2. What do you miss most when away from home?

   When away from home, I miss the love of family, the comfort of familiar surroundings, and the peace of a place where I truly belong.

   
   

3. How does the poet describe his mother’s love?

   The poet describes his mother’s love through her caress and her thoughts of him while looking at the moon. It shows deep affection and care.

   
   

4. Do you agree with the line “There’s no place like home”? Why?

   Yes, I agree because home is where one finds true comfort and belonging. No matter how grand other places are, nothing equals the joy of being at home.

   
   

5. What lesson does this poem give us about family?

   The poem teaches that family love and togetherness are the greatest treasures. Wealth and splendour cannot replace the bond of home and family.

True or False (5)

1. The poet was happy to roam in palaces. → False (He longed for home.)

2. The poet’s cottage had a thatched roof. → True

3. The poet remembered his mother while gazing at the moon. → True

4. The poet never wanted to return home. → False (He wished to return.)

5. The refrain “There’s no place like home” is repeated often. → True

Probable Board / Exam Questions (5)

1. How does the poet glorify his home in the poem?

   The poet glorifies his home by calling it sweet and humble yet more precious than palaces. He values its charm, peace, and the love of family over wealth.

   
   

2. What things does the poet miss most about his home?

   He misses his thatched cottage, singing birds, the fragrance of woodbine, and especially the love and care of his parents.

   
   

3. How does the poet describe his life in exile?

   In exile, splendour and riches fail to give him joy. He feels lonely and longs for the peace and simplicity of his own cottage.

   
   

4. What makes the poet remember his mother?

   The sight of the moon reminds him of his mother looking at the same moon from their cottage door, filling him with love and longing.

   
   

5. Why is the poem titled Home Sweet Home?

   It is titled so because the poem praises home as the sweetest place on earth. It emphasises that no luxury can replace the comfort of home.

   
   

Appreciation / Reflection Paragraph

Home Sweet Home by John Howard Payne is a sentimental poem that praises the beauty and comfort of home. Its refrain, “There’s no place like home,” makes the message powerful and memorable. The imagery of the cottage, birds, and mother’s love touches the heart. The contrast between palaces and humble cottages shows that true happiness lies in family and simplicity, not riches. The poem is memorable because it beautifully expresses universal feelings of love, longing, and belonging.

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