Poetry · Chapter
Help Wanted explained
The narrator expresses a mix of affection and exasperation in caring for a child, finding most duties tolerable except for the endless stream of questions.
What happens
The narrator expresses a mix of affection and exasperation in caring for a child, finding most duties tolerable except for the endless stream of questions.
Themes in this chapter
Domestic Life
The poem details the daily routines of childcare, such as washing faces, tidying toys, and preparing meals.
Humor and Satire
The lighthearted tone and playful complaint about a child's questions use humor to depict the challenges of caregiving.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The speaker, a caretaker or nursemaid, who cheerfully performs most duties but seeks relief from answering questions.
- Young Stranger
The child being cared for, whose constant questioning is the source of the narrator's frustration.
Key passages
“I have no objection to washing your face And putting your playthings back in their place, And fixing your fruit and potatoes and bread And reading you stories when you are in bed.”
I don't mind the typical chores of caring for you, like cleaning you up, organizing your toys, preparing your meals, and reading bedtime stories.
The narrator lists the routine tasks of childcare they are willing to perform.
“But I'll certainly welcome relief from the task Of answering all of the questions you ask.”
However, I would gladly be freed from the duty of responding to every question you come up with.
The narrator's main frustration is the child's incessant questioning, which they find more taxing than other duties.