In the poem "Burning of Our House," writer Anne Bradstreet originally laments the total destruction of her house as she recounts the many losses she endured when her house disintegrated in a fire, but later reminds herself of the everlasting gifts of God. As Anne Bradstreet describes her journey of despair while she grows closer to God, she incorporates several rhetorical devices such as rhyme, repetition, and an extended metaphor throughout her piece to emphasize her growing passion for God as she realizes that her extreme loss will help her excel in becoming a better person. Throughout the entire poem, Bradstreet maintains a constant AABB rhyme pattern. As she emotionally recalls the devastating event, she exposes her lack of control in the situation as she witnesses her house crumble into a million tiny pieces with everything she's every had, now standing as black soot in mounds of despair and sorrow. She attempts to repossess control throughout this poem by maintaining that constant AABB rhyme pattern at the end of each line. Although she could have used various forms of rhyme, such as internal rhyme, and had the ability to change the rhyme scheme throughout the poem, she decided to maintain it in a controlling rhythmic pace as she describes her enlightenment about god. Bradstreet's constant rhyme pattern allows rhythm to present itself throughout the poem and create a more melodic and uplifting tone to ease and make peace with her loss. As Anne Bradstreet relives her traumatizing experience, she depressingly recalls in lines thirty to thirty-four, the many memories that will no longer be inlaid within the soul of that house using repetition. She applies No or Nor throughout the five lines to list and emphasize the many events that can no longer take place within her disintegrated house, but after expresses, in line thirty-six, that while people can strive for items of this world and temporarily possess the item, they will not last for eternity. As Bradstreet comes to realize the insignificance of her materialistic possessions she praises God and is immensely grateful that he taught her to release her attachment to the tangible items of life by burning her house down. Bradstreet expresses her thankfulness towards God through an
