How to Have Fun Writing a Ballad

A ballad is a narrative poem, usually set to music; thus, it often is a story told in a song. Any story form may be told as a ballad, such as historical accounts or fairy tales in verse form. It usually has foreshortened, alternating four-stress lines ("ballad meter") and simple repeating rhymes, often with a refrain.

If it is based on a political or religious theme, a ballad may be a hymn. It should not be confused with the ballade, a 14th and 15th century French verse form.


SWEET BETSY FROM PIKE ©
This version is by Jean Elizabeth Ward:
www.poetryplusart.com
Books @ www.lulu.com

Californians tagged settlers from the Midwest as "Pikes"
Whether they came from Missouri or not.

SONG

Did you ever hear tell of Sweet Betsy from Pike,
Who crossed the wide prairies with her lover Ike,
With two yoke of cattle and one spotted hog,
A tall Shanghai rooster and an old yaller' dog?


NEW STORY INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL

Well their trials were many, as ye' all shall hear,
Their wagon broke down, they encountered a bear.
The rain, it came, and the sun beat them down,
Still ole' Ike and Betsy; well they clowned around.

On a starlit night-some whiskey broke out,
Betsy drank such, to Ike she did shout,
We've reached the desert, my brain gave out,
But beloved Ike, well he-he shouted out;

Betsy get up, you'll get sand in your eyes,
So I got myself up, to give it a new try.
We finally made it, a lot worse for wear,
Tagged as "Pikes" when we arrived there.

I sewed on some stripes and ribbons to wear,
And Ike and I, we married there.
But it didn't last long, I'll tell you why,
Ole' Ike, he didn't-really like to try.

When we divorced, he gave me a horse,
I rode it to attract-a miner of course.
Soon we wed; I had children for him,
And one tall young'en who's also slim.

The story goes, that ole' Ike snuck back,
I don't tell, if he did, and that's a fact,
For I love my sweet miner, and he likes-
All the young'ens of Sweet Betsy from Pike

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer (Optional)
• Paper and Pen.

1. RESEARCH is what I would suggest. Each poetry site will have a list of the various forms of poetry, or you can go about making up your own, which I have done at times, and enjoyed it. Perhaps you might want the challenge of writing a poem in each form that is available to you.

2. Either have a Dictionary or a Computer so that you can research words to give you ideas.

3. Make sure you at least do "A Poor Man's Copyright, which is to mail it back to yourself, after telling the post office that it's for copyrighting. Do not open your copy, store it in a safe place. If someone does write another and DO An Homage to you and your poem; I am of the opinion that it is a compliment as long as they state that is what they are doing. To record this I always put it directly under my title: Example: Homage to, or Inspired by, and even the greats would do another poem and put AFTER. You just do not want to be called a Plagiarizer. I have seen where two poets have written almost the same poem, and I do not think considering the accessibility of poetry today, that that would be unusual.

[snowfence]

on 2/8/2010 Thanks for the article! 5*