Someone » englishforlearner

_By Walter de la Mare

Someone came knocking
At my wee, small door;
Someone came knocking;
I’m sure-sure-sure;
I listened, I opened,
I looked to left and right,
But nought there was a stirring
In the still dark night;
Only the busy beetle
Tap-tapping in the wall,

Only from the forest
The screech-owl’s call,
Only the cricket whistling
While the dewdrops fall,
So I know not who came knocking,
At all, at all, at all.

Summary of the poem:

In the poem “Someone”, the poet Walter de la Mare narrates a scary experience of his life. One night, the poet was inside his house, then suddenly some knocked at his small door. That night was very dark and still. But, to his surprise and horror, when he opened the door, he saw no one. But he was sure that he listened someone knocking at his door. The outside of his house was not visible due to the darkness of the night. But he could hear the clear sound of beetle tapping in the wall. The owls were screeching to a haunting effect. Crickets were whistling. The dewdrops were falling. The night was very horrifying. But that suspicious knocking doubled the poet’s fear.

Summary of the poem:

In the poem “Someone”, the poet ‘Walter de la Mare’ narrates a scary experience of his life. One night, the poet was inside his house, then suddenly some knocked at his small door. That night was very dark and still. But, to his surprise and horror, when he opened the door, he saw no one. But he was sure that he listened someone knocking at his door.

The outside of his house was not visible due to the darkness of the night. But he could hear the clear sound of beetle tapping in the wall. The owls were screeching to a haunting effect. Crickets were whistling. The dewdrops were falling. The night was very horrifying. But that suspicious knocking doubled the poet’s fear.

Word Meaning

wee: very small in size:

nought: nothing:

stirring: moving:

beetle: an insect:

screech: a loud unpleasant sound:

cricket: a small jumping insect that makes a loud sound:

whistling: making a musical tune with lips:

dew: a very small drop of water that falls on the ground:

Textual Questions

Activity 1 Tick the correct alternative:

(i) The door was

(a) big

(b) small

(c) wide

(ii) The poet looked

(a) backward and forward

(b) up and down

(c) to left and right

(iii) The busy beetle was tap-tapping in the

(a) wall

(b) door

(c) window

(iv) The cricket was

(a) singing

(b) whistling

(c) chirping

Activity 2

Complete the following sentences with information from the text:

(a) Someone came knocking at the poet’s wee, small door.

(b) There was no stirring in the still, dark night.

(d) The poet did not know at all who came knocking at his door.

Activity 3

Answer the following question:

Who do you think came knocking at the poet’s small door?

Ans: The poet was sure that someone was knocking on his door. Again, he could feel something uncanny in the stillness and darkness of the night. Mysterious surroundings prevailed. So, the uncertain knocking on the door actually heightens the supernatural atmosphere.

Activity 4

Fill in the following chart with information from the text:

A – Who	Ans – Did What
(i) Someone	knocked at the poet’s small door.
(ii) Beetle	tap-tapped on the wall.
(iii) Owl	screeched from the forest.
(iv) Cricket	whistled.

Activity 5

Answer the following questions:

(a) What did the poet do after he heard the knocking on the door?

Ans: The poet listened, opened the door and looked left and right.

(b) What was the night like?

Ans: The night was still and dark.

(c) Name the insect mentioned in the poem.

Ans: Beetle and cricket are the insects mentioned in the poem.

(d) Why does the poet use the expression ‘at all thrice in the last line of the poem?

Ans: The poet used the expression ‘at all’ thrice in the last line of the poem to suggest that he did not know who came knocking. But the still, dark night gave him a mysterious feeling that there was someone knocking on the door.