Agnesa Beladinna / 201010600546 / Poetry

Love between Brothers and Sisters

By Isaac Watts

Watts' poem instructs siblings to love one another and not fight by writing a poem entitled "Love
between Brothers and Sisters". The poem consists of 8 lines in one stanza. It has a-b-a-b as a
rhyme; the example is 'street - meet', and' home - come', which is mentioned in the poem. This
poem uses personification as figurative language. For instance, "birds in their little nest agree"
[line 5]. The problems mentioned in this poem are about "fall out", "chide", and "fight" between
brothers and sisters. Then, this poem gives a solution which is to avoid fighting. In the end,
brothers and sisters will always make up again. In addition, if the poem does not have a specific
speaker said, it is called an implicit. It is written for all siblings in the world.

The poem starts with an argument that the most comfortable place is always home, wherever you
are and how far you go. Mentioned in “There should be peace at home” [line 2]. It also shows
the readers that we should not fight each other as brothers and sisters, as mentioned in "Quarrels
should never come" [line 4]. Even as human beings, people always have problems. At the poem's
end, Isaac says, "and 'tis shameful sight, when children of one family fall out and chide and
fight" [lines 6 - 8], which means that fighting between brothers and sisters must happen and
become normal. Then go back to the first statement, "There should be peace at home" [line 2].
No matter what happens between brothers and sisters, no matter how big the problem is, brothers
and sisters must get back together again and again.

I am inclined to believe that the issue depicted in the poem still exists in people nowadays. The
message of this poem is telling everyone to love each other as brothers and sisters. In my view,
Isaac Watts successfully gave illustrations for the readers to always find a solution to get back
together no matter what happens in their life.
Reference
Watts, I. Poem Love between Brothers and Sisters
KeyToPoetry.com https://keytopoetry.com/isaac-watts/poems/love-between-brothers-and-sisters/
 Love Between Brothers and Sisters
By Isaac Watts

Whatever brawls disturb the street, 1

There should be peace at home;
Where sisters dwell and brothers meet,
Quarrels should never come.
Birds in their little nests agree; 5
And ’tis a shameful sight,
When children of one family
Fall out and chide and fight. 8