Ballad of Birmingham

The poem begins slow, sweet, and loving but turns out to be devastating and fearful. In the poem the mother prevented her child from playing on the streets because she was afraid of the dangers that came with marching. She advises the child to go to church instead as she sees it as being a “safe house”. From this the audience can also depict the religious affiliation of many citizens during the Birmingham March. The mother is at ease knowing her child is at church, but then church is soon enough bombed. This is ironic as it shows the one place the mother thought her child would be safe in, turns out to be the most dangerous. The poem utilizes rhyme and meter by abusing the same rhyme scheme and playful word choices throughout the poem to establish a connection to the reader. The audience also encounters multiple visual images that are associated with the dialogue such as the girl’s preparation for church, and the explosion. The author effectively utilizes repetition by captivating the readers attention

Rhyme: The poem uses the ABCB rhyme scheme.

Meter: Speed is constant throughout and has consistent rhythm. Consistent amount of syllables throughout poem as well.

Sound Devices: uses words with soft endings, and also sounds to mark an end or pause