Ballad Poems
By: Brooke J and Tyler L
What is a Ballad
Ballad of the Gibbet by: Francois Villon (1431-1489)
Brothers and men that shall after us be,
For pitying this our misery
Ye shall find God the more piteous.
Look on us six that are hanging thus,
And for the flesh that so much we cherished
How it is eaten of birds and perished,
And ashes and dust fill our bones’ place,
Mock not at us that so feeble be,
But pray God pardon us out of his grace.
Listen we pray you, and look not in scorn,
Ye wot no man so wise is born
That keeps his wisdom constantly.
Be ye then merciful, and cry
To Mary’s Son that is piteous,
That his mercy take no stain from us,
Saving us out of the fiery place.
We are but dead, let no soul deny
To pray God succor us of His grace.
The rain out of heaven has washed us clean,
Ravens and rooks have pecked at our eyne,
And feathered their nests with our beards
And hair.
Round are we tossed, and here and there,
This way and that, at the wild wind’s will,
Never a moment my body is still;
Birds they are busy about my face.
Live not as we, not fare as we fare;
Pray God pardon us out of His grace.
L'envoy
We pray Hell gain no mastery,
That we come never anear that place;
And ye men, make no mockery,
Pray God, pardon us out of His grace.
Ballad of the Cool Fountain By an Anonymous Spanish poetess (15th century)
Fountain, coolest fountain,
Where all the sweet birds come
For comforting–but one,
A widow turtledove,
Sadly sorrowing.
At once the nightingale,
That wicked bird, came by,
And spoke these honied words:
"My lady, if you will,
I shall be your slave."
"You are my enemy:
Begone, you are not true!
Green boughs no longer rest me,
Nor any budding grove.
Clear springs, where there are such,
Turn muddy at my touch.
I want no spouse to love
Nor any children either.
I forego that pleasure
And their comfort too.
No, leave me; you are false
And wicked–vile, untrue!
I’ll never be your mistress!
I’ll never marry you!"
As You Came from the Holy Land by: Sir Walter Raleigh (1552?-1618)
"As you came from the holy land
Met you not with my true love
By the way as you came?"
"How shall I know your true love,
As I went to the holy land,
That have come, that have gone?"
"She is neither white nor brown,
There is none hath a form so divine
In the earth or in the air."
"Such an one did I meet, good Sir,
Who like a queen, like a nymph, did appear
By her gait, by her grace."
"She hath left me all alone,
Who sometimes did lead me with herself,
And me loved as her own."
"What’s the cause that she leaves you alone
Who loved you once as her own
And her joy did make?"
"I have loved her all my youth,
Love likes not the falling fruit
From the withered tree."
Written Ballad #1 : Fireworks
An explosion across the skies,
The boom fills the air,
The illusions for your eyes,
The sparks are everywhere.
The rocket soars up above,
In the air that’s oh so crisp,
The rocket soars like a dove,
Until the spark turns to a wisp.
The figure crackles all the way,
On its journey through the wind
It is best fired after the day
And it will pop until the journey’s end.
It is a very literal blast,
As it is remembered from the past,
Oh the colors that will blend
You can even watch with a friend.
It is an explosion all around,
So just listen to the sound,
Of the rocket that’s air bound,
And enjoy your special show.
Summer
One summer day,
I took a walk, much wandering like a stray.
July 24th happened to be that day.
Laughing as careless as can be,
You and me.
July 24th happened to be that day.
Water splashes in our faces,
Sand gets in between our toes.
July 24th happened to be that day.
Swimming in the ocean
Running in the sand
July 24th happened to be that day
As the sun began to fade away,
Our memories began to fade
July 24th happened to be that day