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- This poem is most commonly read in The Golden Book of Poetry, a collection of classic children’s poems published in 1947. The author, to this day, is unknown. (Some have suggested that the author is Walter de la Mare or Elizabeth Prentiss.)
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Is Mr Nobody anonymous?
Who tosses them about 'Mr Nobody'?
Is Mr Nobody a children's poem?
Who is Mr Nobody?
The finger marks upon the door. By none of us are made; We never leave the blinds unclosed, To let the curtains fade. The ink we never spill; the boots. That lying round you see. Are not our boots,—they all belong. To Mr. Nobody. Source: The Golden Book of Poetry (1947)
There's no one tosses them about But Mr. Nobody. The finger marks upon the door By none of us are made; We never leave the blinds unclosed, To let the curtains fade. The ink we never spill; the boots That lying round you see Are not our boots,—they all belong To Mr. Nobody. This poem is in the public domain.
- Summary
- Detailed Analysis
- Themes
- Structure and Form
- Literary Devices
- Similar Poetry
‘Mr. Nobody’by Anonymous is a children’s poem first published in 1947. It describes the various mischievous acts of Mr. Nobody. In the first stanza of this poem, the speakernotes that there is a “funny little man” who is as quiet as a mouse who lives within every home. It is this Mr. Nobody who is responsible for broken plates, leaving doors open, ...
Stanza One
In the first lines of this poem, the reader is introduced to the poet’s character, “Mr. Nobody.” This person, the speaker says, is to blame for “every plate we break” and for all the “mischief that is done” in everybody’s house. From the start, it’s clear that this “Mr. Nobody” is a clever play on words meant to bring to mind a child’s refusal to accept the blame or get in trouble for something they did. Imagine, for example, a child breaking a plate and, when asked who is responsible, they s...
Stanza Two
In the second stanza, the speaker describes more of the “mischief” that this Mr. Nobody is responsible for. As one might have predicted, Mr. Nobody is responsible for all the small troubles and messes that a child might make in their everyday life. For example, pulling the buttons off a shirt, tearing books off of shelves, and leaving doors open. The second half of the stanza takes a slightly different approach to Mr. Nobody and his role within the home. The squeaking door that “will always s...
Stanzas Three and Four
In the third stanza, the speaker describes how Mr. Nobody is also responsible for mistakes, not only messes. For example, it’s Mr. Nobody who puts “damp wood upon the fire,” an accident that ensures that the kettle never boils. Again, it’s easy to imagine someone blaming “nobody” for a simple mistake. Mr. Nobody is also to blame for mud tracked into the house, the loss of the morning paper, fingerprints on the door, open blinds, spilled ink, and boots lying on the ground out of place. This cl...
Throughout this poem, there are a few themes at work. The most important being taking responsibility for one’s actions. The poet taps into a general dislike within children for taking responsibility for their mistakes. This is something that can, clearly, also be seen in adults. But, the incidents that the poet focuses on are small, generally unimp...
‘Mr. Nobody’ by Anonymous is a four-stanza poem divided into sets of eight lines, known as octaves. These octaves follow a simple rhymescheme of ABCBDEFE. The even-numbered lines rhyme and the odd-numbered lines do not rhyme. The poem is also written in ballad or hymn meter. This means that the poet uses alternating lines ofiambic tetrameter and ia...
Throughout this poem, the poet makes use of several literary devices. These include but are not limited to: 1. Simile: a comparisonbetween two things that uses either the word “like” or “as.” For example, “as quiet as a mouse.” 2. Enjambment: can be seen when the poet cuts off the line before its natural stopping point. For example, the transitionb...
Readers who enjoyed this poem should also consider reading some related poems. For example: 1. ‘Dirty Face’ by Shel Silverstein– contains numerous amusing explanations, from a child speaker, as to the source of their dirty face. 2. ‘The People Upstairs’ by Ogden Nash– a short nonsense poem that describes one speaker’s experience with his upstairs n...
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- October 9, 1995
- Poetry Analyst And Editor
Author Unknown. I know a funny little man, As quiet as a mouse, Who does the mischief that is done. In everybody's house! There's no one ever sees his face, And yet we all agree. That every plate we break was cracked. By Mr. Nobody.
By none of us are made; We never leave the blind unclosed, To let the curtains fade. The ink we never spill; the boots. That lying round you. See. Are not our boots they all belong. To Mr. Nobody. I know a funny little man, As quiet as a mouse, Who does the mischief that is done In everybody’s house.
May 8, 2024 · “Mr. Nobody” would be republished here and there in subsequent decades, labeled as from “Unknown” or “ Riverside Magazine.” The poem gained its first boost up into the national scene, however, when it appeared in The Golden Book of Poetry, a 1947 anthology
It is not known who wrote 'Mr Nobody'. It appears to have been included in a poetry collection of 1868, and while it is sometimes suggested that the author w...
