The Poet's Ballad

Started by Richard Lynch August 18th, 2007 10:34 AM
  • 1442 views
  • 5 replies
Age 35
Male
Pennsylvania
Seen August 14th, 2012
Posted March 29th, 2012
954 posts
16.4 Years
I wrote this quite a while ago for FictionPress.com, where I saw that stupid three line haikus were getting more hits and comments than my apparently well-thought out, longer poems that actually rhymed.

My exact description of the poem I wrote when I posted it is:

"My satiric attack on 'recreational' poetry, the pseudo-poets who author them, and the fallacies of both", if that gives you any idea of what exactly it's about.

I call it:

The Poet's Ballad
(or: 'Clickety-Clackity-Cling')


Nine out of ten sit around with a pen
Then all but nine come out and sing
The others there just sit down in their chair
Singing clickety-clackity-cling

To be a poet and not yet know it
Can make someone feel like a king
But it's easy to rhyme, it takes no time
Sing clickety-clackity-cling

And then some confess their hope, what a mess
That they wish they had death to bring
Depressed they may be (or stupid, you see)
Sing clickety-clackity-cling

But then you hear more, the others implore
They write with a purpose on wing
Deep meaning to think, no where near the brink
Sing clickety-clackity-cling

The ones on the fence who do not make sense
Their poems they wrote on a swing
It's fun to pander, and then meander
Sing clickety-clackity-cling

Some feelings write more, the verses obscure
Emotion laid out in a string
And if they don't rhyme, I haven't got time
Sing clickety-clackity-cling

And then these haikus, they're widely known news
The authors can't help sharing
But it takes no sweat to write these, I bet
Sing clickety-clackity-cling

A few, I admit, go into a fit
Their love they express on a fling
It's their taste for sap, which ends with a slap
Sing clickety-clackity-cling

Any person can write without a plight
Pseudo-poems without a sting
But while they have failed, they are to be hailed
Sing clickety-clackity-cling

This little song I refuse to prolong
You're on the verge of not caring
A poet you may be if you will stay
And sing clickety-clackity-cling



(PS: Bonus points for anyone who can name the type of poetry each stanza is about, minus the first two and last two stanzas)
Exterminate All Rational Thought

Richard
0215 9525 7958
Bittertown
Seen September 2nd, 2009
Posted December 28th, 2008
7,901 posts
19.7 Years
I'm too lazy to figure out which type of poetry is which, but yeah... >>

Anyway, it's a creative ballad, since I don't see a lot of satire nowadays. Much of the "poems" I see are about breaking up or cutting or being depressed, etc. But yeah, having a commentary on all of that sure makes me a little bit more optimistic about this forum... XD

Can't really critique it since you obviously adhered to a certain style, but incorporating different styles into one piece, is pretty much a really creative way of condescendingly insulting other "poets".

Good job.

Pocket Monsters Special!
In a House
Seen March 20th, 2016
Posted January 22nd, 2010
1,823 posts
16.6 Years
It's an interesting poem, but it's not a ballad in the traditional sense of the word. In the words of Edmond Rostand in his play "Cyrano de Bergerac", "A ballade is a poem consisting of four eight-line stanzas with a four-line refrain at the end". (Correct me if I'm wrong there.)

Ouch. I happen to like Haiku, so I write it occasionally, but it isn't as easy as it seems to both capture the image needed as well as make the haiku stand out while still adhering to the 5-7-5 line rule. Writing a mediocre haiku is easy. Writing a great one requires a lot of effort. I've never written a poem, haiku or otherwise, I'd consider great.

Nevertheless, I find your critique on other poems fun. Your poem has a spark that I don't often see, especially on this forum. How can I say it? Reading most poems here is like walking into a dark room where a bunch of clones are sitting around cutting themselves. Reading yours was like walking into that same room along with a guy who's pretending to pay attention to them while subtly slapping "Kick me" notes on their back. Yep, this was a treat.

x x x x

Bittertown
Seen September 2nd, 2009
Posted December 28th, 2008
7,901 posts
19.7 Years
It's an interesting poem, but it's not a ballad in the traditional sense of the word. In the words of Edmond Rostand in his play "Cyrano de Bergerac", "A ballade is a poem consisting of four eight-line stanzas with a four-line refrain at the end". (Correct me if I'm wrong there.)
Actually, there's a difference between a ballad and a ballade.

Ballad is a form of songwriting or song while a ballade is a form of French verse writing, thus your reference from Cyrano de Bergerac.

Pocket Monsters Special!
Age 31
Male
Santa Isabel, Mexico
Seen July 7th, 2018
Posted February 2nd, 2016
4,000 posts
18.9 Years
Nice ballad, Steel. I don't really find myself too interested in haikus either, and I also relate to this poem's meaning. Nice rhythm; well, in contrast with your singular diction.

edit: btw, I love ballades.
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