Poetic Devices in “Somebody’s Mother” Poem by Mary Dow Brine

This post discusses the key literary elements and major figures of speech used in the poem “Somebody’s Mother” by Mary Dow Brine, which is also included in the NCERT Class 8 English curriculum.

Key Literary Elements in ‘Somebody’s Mother‘ Poem

1. Form of the Poem

The poem is a narrative poem because it tells a complete story. It has characters, a setting, a problem, a climax, and a resolution. Through this simple story, the poet conveys a moral lesson about kindness and empathy.

Structure of the Poem

• The poem is written in 19 rhyming couplets (two consecutive lines rhyme).
• It follows a regular AABB rhyme scheme throughout.
• The regular rhythm and rhyme make the poem smooth, musical, and easy to read.

Setting

The poem is set on a cold winter day on a busy street crossing after school hours.

The setting plays an important role because:

• the snow-covered, slippery street increases the old woman’s difficulty,
• the crowded street highlights that many people ignore her,
• the school setting introduces the group of children, among whom one kind boy comes forward to help.

Characters

The poem has two main characters and one supporting group.

The Old Woman

• old, poor, weak and helpless
• patient and humble
• grateful for the boy’s kindness

The Young Boy

• cheerful and kind-hearted
• respectful and helpful
• thoughtful and empathetic

The Other Children

• happy and playful
• busy enjoying themselves
• fail to notice the old woman’s need

Tone

The tone is the poet’s attitude or feeling expressed in the poem.

Tone of the Poem

• Sympathetic – towards the old woman.
• Compassionate – encouraging kindness and care.
• Hopeful – because one boy sets a good example.
• Inspirational – motivating readers to help others.

Altogether the tone of the poem is emotional, hopeful and moral:

Mood

The mood is the feeling created in the reader.

The mood changes as the poem progresses.

• Beginning: Sad and sympathetic.
• Middle: Tense and anxious as the old woman waits to cross the road.
• Ending: Warm, happy, grateful, and hopeful after the boy helps her.

Theme

Theme: Compassion, empathy, respect for elders, and the Golden Rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”). 

The central themes of the poem are:

• Kindness and compassion
• Empathy towards the elderly
• Respect for all human beings
• Selfless service
• Humanity and social responsibility
• The Golden Rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”).

The poem reminds us that every elderly person is someone’s loved one and deserves care and respect.

Language and Style

The poet uses simple, clear, and descriptive language, making the poem easy to understand.

Some features of the language are:

• easy and natural vocabulary,
• vivid descriptions that create clear mental pictures,
• conversational dialogue that makes the story realistic,
• gentle and emotional expressions that strengthen the poem’s message.

Summary of Key Literary Elements

Literary Element	Details
Form	Narrative poem
Structure	Six quatrains written as rhyming couplets; AABB rhyme scheme
Setting	A snowy winter day at a busy street crossing after school
Main Characters	The old woman, the kind boy, and the group of schoolboys
Tone	Sympathetic, compassionate, hopeful, inspirational
Mood	Sad → tense → warm and hopeful
Themes	Kindness, empathy, humanity, respect for the elderly
Language & Style	Simple, descriptive, conversational, and emotionally appealing
Message	Every act of kindness matters; treat every elderly person with care and respect.

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Major Poetic Devices Used in the Poem “Somebody’s Mother“

The poem uses simple yet effective poetic devices to make the story interesting and to convey its message of kindness and empathy.

Simile

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’.

Example

“Came the boys like a flock of sheep,”

Explanation

The boys are compared to a flock of sheep because they are moving together as one large group. The comparison also suggests that they are following one another without paying attention to the old woman as “flock of sheep” illustrates their collective, unthinking energy.

Metaphor 

A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another, highlighting a shared characteristic without using “like” or “as”

Example:

“pride and joy”

The phrase “pride and joy” is used as a metaphor for the immense value a child holds for their parents.

Synecdoche

A synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole person or object, or vice versa.

Example:

“anxious eyes” and “trembling feet”

The poet refers to specific body parts to represent the elderly woman in her entirety. The “anxious eyes” reflect her internal emotional state of worry and hesitation, while the “trembling feet” highlight her overall physical vulnerability and frailty.

Imagery

Imagery is the use of descriptive words that help readers create a clear picture in their minds by appealing to the senses.

The poet uses extensive visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile imagery to ground the narrative in a physical reality.

Examples:

(a) Visual Imagery (Sight)

“The woman was old and ragged and grey”

This helps us imagine the poor appearance of the old woman.

“The street was wet with a recent snow”

This creates a picture of a cold, snowy street.

“The snow piled white and deep”

The poet helps us imagine thick white snow covering the ground.

(b) Tactile Imagery (Touch)

“Bent with the chill of the Winter’s day”

The phrase makes us almost feel the cold winter weather.

(c) Movement Imagery (Kinesthetic)

“He guided the trembling feet along”

The words help us picture the old woman’s slow and shaky walk.

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning or within nearby words.

Examples:

• woman was – (consonant /w/ sound repeated) – (stanza 1 line 2)
• was wet with – (/w/ sound) – (stanza 2 line 1)
• anxious eyes – (/ai/ sound) – (stanza 4 line 2)
• helping hand – ( sound /h/)  – (stanza 8 line 1)
• slippery street” –  (sibilant sound /s/) –  (stanza 9 line 1)
• hurt or harm – (/h/ sound) – (stanza 12 line 2)
• heart happy – (/h/ sound) –  (stanza 14 line 2)
• my mother – (/m/ sound) –  (stanza 16 line 2)
• her head,  her home – (/h/ sound) –  (stanza 18 lines 1 &  2)
• somebody’s son  – (/s/ sound) –  (stanza 19 line 2)

Repetition

Repetition means repeating a word or phrase to emphasise an idea.

Examples:

“Somebody’s
“Somebody’s  mother”

The phrase is repeated to remind readers that every elderly woman is someone’s loved and respected mother.

Diacope/Anaphora (Internal)

Diacope is a literary device where a word or phrase is repeated with one or two intervening words in between, often for emphasis or dramatic effect.

Example:

“So meek, so timid“

The repeated word “so” emphasises how frightened and helpless the old woman is.

Contrast / Juxtaposition / Antithesis:

Contrast shows the difference between two opposite ideas, characters, or situations.

This is central to the poem’s structure, highlighting the gap between youth and age.

Example:
the woman’s isolation (“Alone, uncared for”) with the bustle of the crowd (“amid the throng”)

More Examples:

Contrast	Effect
Old woman ↔ Young boy	Shows weakness versus strength.
Trembling feet ↔ Firm and strong	Highlights the boy’s ability to help the helpless.
Loneliness ↔ Cheerful children	Makes the old woman’s helplessness more noticeable.
Crowd ignoring ↔ One boy helping	Shows that one act of kindness can make a big difference.

Idiom

An idiom is a group of words whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of the individual words.

Example:

“Lend a hand”

The phrase “lend a hand” is used to signify the act of helping.

Epithets (Descriptive Adjectives)

An epithet is a descriptive word or phrase used to describe a person or thing.

Examples:

• old and ragged and grey
• strong young arm
• trembling feet
• the noble boy

These expressions help readers understand the characters more clearly.

Symbolism

Example:

“Somebody’s mother”

The old woman represents all elderly mothers and all elderly vulnerable people in society who deserve protection and empathy (love, care, and respect).

Inversion (Anastrophe):

When the normal order of words in a sentence is changed for poetic rhythm.

• “Came the boys like a flock of sheep” (Instead of: The boys came like a flock of sheep)
• “Her aged hand on his strong young arm / She placed…” (Instead of: She placed her aged hand on his strong young arm)

Polysyndeton

Polysyndeton is a literary device in which several coordinating conjunctions (such as ‘and’) are used repeatedly in close succession, often without punctuation, to slow down the rhythm of the sentence and build emotional weight.

Example:

“old and ragged and grey”

The deliberate repetition of the conjunction “and” is used to emphasize the weight of the woman’s hardships, such as in the phrases “old and ragged and grey” or “poor and old and grey”.

Superlative Adjective: 

Example:

“gayest laddie” 

It highlights his outstanding happiness and warm nature compared to his peers.

Direct Speech / Dialogue: 

Example:

“I’ll help you cross…”

The poet uses exact spoken words (“I’ll help you cross…”) to make the interaction intimate, authentic, and memorable.

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Summary of Poetic Devices

Poetic Device	Example
Simile	“like a flock of sheep”
Imagery	“old and ragged and grey”, “the snow piled white and deep”
Alliteration	“hurt or harm”
Repetition	“Somebody’s mother”, “So meek, so timid”
Contrast	Old woman ↔ Young boy, Trembling feet ↔ Firm and strong
Idiom	“lend a hand”
Epithet	“the noble boy”, “strong young arm”
Symbolism	“Somebody’s mother”
Polysyndeton	“old and ragged and grey”
Poem Type	Narrative poem written in rhyming couplets