poetry Poetry Prompt 14 – Ballade

[AC Benus]

Poetry Prompt 14 – Ballade

 

Let's Write a Ballade! 

With the Ghazal we've seen how refrain can build and lend grandeur to a work with songlike attributes. Related to that is a complex form from Southern France.

A Ballade is a song/poem that is also very like the Ghazal in being flexible in what type of theme the poet wishes to select. One of the greatest French poets, François Villon, used the Ballade to write of abstract things like the seasons, as well as a very emotional plea for acceptance and forgiveness on the day he was to be executed by the State. Curiously enough, another point of connection between the Ballade and the Ghazal is the "Envoi" (or, sometimes "Envoy" in English). This is a direct address from the poet to the person or abstract notion the Ballade is dedicated to. In it's way, it's very much like the salute of the poet in the final couplet of the Ghazal.

The origins of this form are a bit obscure, but they are French, and seem to come out of the genuine Troubadour traditions of songs for entertainment. By the 15^th century and the heyday of François Villon, the form had been perfected and was probably not expected to be sung anymore.[1]

Its structure is demanding, but I think you will see it really is an extension of the Sonnet form we've already studied. 

 

Ballade requirements:

- At least three stanzas of eight lines each

- A concluding quatrain addressing the inspiration (either person or idea) of the poem, and known as the Envoi

- Each of the stanzas, and the Envoi too, end in an exact repeat of the same line – this is known as the refrain

- All lines are of a uniform syllable count, to be determined by the poet 

- The rhyme scheme is very strict and minimal. Every eight-line stanza uses the same rhymes, and goes: a, b, a, b, b, c, b, c.

- The quatrain is rhymed: b, c, b, c, and uses the same rhymes as the stanzas.

- This means you will need a whopping total of 6 a-rhyme words, 14 b-rhyme words, and 5 c-rhyme words (as the refrain rhyme is a repeat)

 

Wow. I know; that's a lot to take in. But it's manageable once we look at some examples.    

Here is a poem called Ballade of Dead Actors by William Ernest Hanley. To help you, I will put the rhyme scheme designation before each line.

 

a  Where are the passions they essayed,

b  And where the tears they made to flow?

a  Where the wild humours they portrayed

b  For laughing worlds to see and know?

b  Othello's wrath and Juliet's woe?

c  Sir Peter's whims and Timon's gall?

b  And Millamant and Romeo?

 c-refrain  Into the night go one and all.

 

a  Where are the braveries, fresh or frayed?

b  The plumes, the armours – friend and foe?

a  The cloth of gold, the rare brocade,

b  The mantles glittering to and fro?

b  The pomp, the pride, the royal show?

c  The cries of war and festival?

b  The youth, the grace, the charm, the glow?

 c-refrain  Into the night go one and all.
 

a  The curtain falls, the play is played:

b  The Beggar packs beside the Beau;

a  The Monarch troops, and troops the Maid;

b  The Thunder huddles with the Snow.

b  Where are the revellers high and low?

c  The clashing swords? The lover's call?

b  The dancers gleaming row on row?

 c-refrain  Into the night go one and all.

 

Envoi

 

b     Prince, in one common overthrow

c  The Hero tumbles with the Thrall;

b  As dust that drives, as straws that blow,

 c-refrain  Into the night go one and all.  

 

You can see the refrain becomes a powerful line, much as the repeated word in the strict Ghazal form is. The poet chose 8-syllable lines, and pretty much stuck to that as much as possible. You can also see how demanding the rhyme scheme is.

Let's look at the master at work. Here is Villon's Ballade des dames du temps jadis, which is arguably one of the word's great poems.

 

Dictes moy où, n’en quel pays,
Est Flora la belle Romaine;
Archipiada, ne Thaïs,
Qui fut sa cousine germaine,
Echo, parlant quand bruyt on maine
Dessus riviere ou sus estan,
Qui beauté eut trop plus qu’humaine?
Mais où sont les neiges d’antan?

 

Où est la très sage Héloïs,
Pour qui chastré fut et puis moyne
Pierre Esbaillart à Saint Denis?
Pour son amour eut cest essoyne.
Semblablement, où est royne
Qui commanda que Buridan
Fust geté en ung sac en Seine?
Mais où sont les neiges d’antan?

 

La royne Blanche comme lys,
Qui chantoit à voix de sereine,
Berthe au grand pied, Bietris, Allys,
Harembourgis qui tint le Mayne,
Et Jehanne, la bonne Lorraine,
Qu’Anglois bruslèrent à Rouen;
Où sont-ils, Vierge souveraine?
Mais où sont les neiges d’antan?

 

Envoi

 

Prince, n’enquerez de sepmaine

Où elles sont, ne de cest an,
Que ce refrain ne vous remaine:
Mais où sont les neiges d’antan?[2]     

 

Again we can feel the power of the limited rhyme scheme and the way the refrain interacts will all the ideas in the poem.

If you think you would like to see one more example, here is one I wrote from my novella, Unafraid. It's simply called Terry's Ballade.

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/forums/blog/513/entry-14663-terrys-ballade/

 

All right, let's roll up our sleeves and write one. Where to start? With the rhymes. Start there because you need so many – 14 words alone for the b rhyme! After you've come up with a general concept, begin choosing 'power words' that speak to your theme, and see if you can come up with good, natural sounding rhymes for them. Consult a rhyming dictionary if you have one, or use one of the many online versions. Keep a running list, as ideally you will want plenty to choose from, and not feel obligated to make an awkward one 'work' simply because you run out of good choices.   

 

The prompt: write one Ballade based on images from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. You decide how many syllables to use per line, and whether you wish each stanza to be about a different panel from the ceiling, or flow as an overall impression of the artwork. Include an Envoi and address it to whomever you like.     

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallery_of_Sistine_Chapel_ceiling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------

[1] The English word 'ballad' also comes from the Troubadour tradition, but can generally mean any type of storytelling song, usually but not always about love. 'Ballade' - with an 'e' - means a very specific poetic form and should not be confused with the other, more general term.       

[2] Here is a more or less literal, non-poetic, translation:

 

Tell me where, or in what land
is Flora, the lovely Roman,
or Archipiades, or Thaïs,
who was her first cousin;
or Echo, replying whenever called
across river or pool,
and whose beauty was more than human?
But where are the snows of yesteryear?

Where is that brilliant lady Heloise,
for whose sake Peter Abelard was castrated
and became a monk at Saint Denis?
He suffered that misfortune because of his love for her.
And where is that queen who
ordered that Buridan
be thrown into the Seine in a sack?
But where are the snows of yesteryear?

Queen Blanche, white as a lily,
who sang with a siren’s voice;
Big-footed Bertha, Beatrice, Alice,
Arembourg who ruled over Maine;
and Joan, the good maiden of Lorraine
who was burned by the English at Rouen —
where are they, where, O sovereign Virgin?
But where are the snows of yesteryear?

 

Envoi

 

Prince, do not ask in a week

where they are, or in a year.
The only answer you will get is this refrain:
But where are the snows of yesteryear?

 

Edited February 2, 2023 by AC Benus

[Aditus]

One of my favorite ballads is the sorcerer's apprentice by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Big shoes, huh? This will take a while...

[Headstall]

I know this isn't Ballade... it's more Free Verse.... I was inspired...

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/story/headstall/headstallspoetryprompts/15

[Puppilull]

Ha, ha! Those power words and the list of rhymes are so me...

[AC Benus]

One of my favorite ballads is the sorcerer's apprentice by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Big shoes, huh? This will take a while...

Well, you'll have all month, so take your time...maybe I should look up Goethe's Ballade in the meantime....hmmmmmm.....

[AC Benus]

Ha, ha! Those power words and the list of rhymes are so me...

I thought it would be. Remember, you also have all month, so take your time.

[J.HunterDunn]

Here's the sorcerer's apprentice in German with a translation.

 

http://german.about.com/library/blgzauberl.htm

 

It is listed as a ballade, but the rhyming scheme doesn't quite fit.

Edited October 4, 2015 by J.HunterDunn

[Aditus]

Here's the sorcerer's apprentice in German with a translation.

 

http://german.about.com/library/blgzauberl.htm

 

It is listed as a ballade, but the rhyming scheme doesn't quite fit.

As always, there are many variations of ballads. Common features are that they often tell a story, and there is repetion, like a refrain e.g.. Goethe's and Schiller's ballads were literary or lyrical ballads, some of which were set in music by Schubert. (source)

[AC Benus]

As always, there are many variations of ballads. Common features are that they often tell a story, and there is repetion, like a refrain e.g.. Goethe's and Schiller's ballads were literary or lyrical ballads, some of which were set in music by Schubert. (source)

Yes, that makes them ballads, ie storytelling songs - but not Ballades. LOL, the 'e' makes all the difference, as a ballad can be almost anything, but a Ballade is a tricky and precise thing. There are some variations in Ballades too - like the double Ballade, and even the notion that if you use a 10-syallabale line, then your stanzas should have ten lines too....Oh the rhymes needed for that! The regular Ballade is hard enough for me all on its own.  

[Aditus]

Yes!  lol  We're doing the thing with the pesky 'e'.  We're singing and dancing! And rhyming...oh my. Thanks, AC.

[Puppilull]

And don't forget the jazz hands at the end!

 

(I completely did. Had a nice draft ready to start some serious tweaking and I realised 'Hmm... Wasn't there something else?' The Envoi...)

[J.HunterDunn]

As always, there are many variations of ballads. Common features are that they often tell a story, and there is repetion, like a refrain e.g.. Goethe's and Schiller's ballads were literary or lyrical ballads, some of which were set in music by Schubert. (source)

 

Maybe a bit off the subject, but I couldn't resist. My appreciation of Goethe was greatly enhanced by the wonderful music of Schubert, with the absolute highlight (for me) Der Erlkönig.

 

The first link gives the German text with the English translation; the second link the haunting music:

 

http://german.about.com/library/blerlking.htm

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XP5RP6OEJI

[Dolores Esteban]

Oh, that's pretty difficult.

[Aditus]

Here you go: Five Sibyls

 

One ballade with a pesky 'e'.

[Dolores Esteban]

Here's mine:

 

The Second Commandment

[Puppilull]

A rhyming dictionary is so my best friend at the moment... Have some troublesome hurdles to get past.

[AC Benus]

A rhyming dictionary is so my best friend at the moment... Have some troublesome hurdles to get past.

I know you can do it!

[Puppilull]

Your faith in me is heartwarming. I will do my best, but this is taking time. Maybe I should just let it take the time it wants.

[AC Benus]

Your faith in me is heartwarming. I will do my best, but this is taking time. Maybe I should just let it take the time it wants.

Yes...take a break from it if you need. I had a hard time with Terry's Ballade, and I even 'cheated' by repeating the word 'me'...but, I don't want you to take any shortcuts...lol 

Edited October 7, 2015 by AC Benus

[Puppilull]

Ha, ha! I'm so close to cheat with 'place'! But I'm trying to remain strong.

[AC Benus]

Ha, ha! I'm so close to cheat with 'place'! But I'm trying to remain strong.

I'm replying because this will mark my 499th posting....one more to go until I can name myself on my profile. Whooo-Hooo!

[Puppilull]

I'm replying because this will mark my 499th posting....one more to go until I can name myself on my profile. Whooo-Hooo!

One more post! One more post!

[AC Benus]

One more post! One more post!

Well, I guess this can be number 500. Oh, now I feel like a pretty bird...

[AC Benus]

Here you go: Five Sibyls

 

One ballade with a pesky 'e'.

Thanks for an amazing entry, Adi! I left a review on the poem itself. But, more than that, I just feel honored and touched at how you and others have followed this course eagerly from the beginning. To think that folks on GA can now sit down and write a frickin Ballade! It just makes me all emotional...don't know how to describe it...it's just a great feeling.

 

Thank you for contributing to that!

[AC Benus]

Here's mine:

 

The Second Commandment

Thanks, Dolores, for taking the poetry prompt challenge! I have left some thoughts in the form of a review.

Edited October 8, 2015 by AC Benus