# A Visit from Young Gloom explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

A poem describing a young stranger (a baby) who visits the house and behaves miserably—crying, screaming, and quarreling constantly—until finally leaving, allowing the return of the child the family is fond of.

## Themes in this chapter

### Humor and Satire

The poem uses exaggerated, humorous descriptions of a baby's tantrums to satirize the trials of dealing with a difficult child.

### Domestic Life

The chapter centers on the disruption of household peace by a visiting baby, highlighting the challenges of family life.

## Character check-ins

### Young Stranger

The baby who visits and displays constant unhappiness, crying and quarreling with everyone.

### Unknown Narrator

The speaker who recounts the unpleasant visit and expresses relief at the stranger's departure.

## Key lines

> There’s been a young stranger at our house, A baby whom nobody knew; Who hated his brother, his father, his mother, And made them aware of it, too.

An unfamiliar baby came to stay, openly showing dislike for every family member.

_Introduces the central conflict of the chapter: the baby's overt hostility._

> He cried when he couldn’t have something; He cried just as hard when he could;

He cried whether he was denied something or given what he wanted.

_Highlights the baby's irrational and relentless discontent._

> He’s gone, and the child we are fond of Is back, just as nice as of old.

The difficult baby has left, and the pleasant child has returned.

_Concludes with relief at the restoration of normalcy._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/a-visit-from-young-gloom
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters