An Analysis of the Unfortunate and Upsetting Situation in the Poem Ballad of Birmingham

Ballad of Birmingham was written in 1969 by Dudley Randall. This poem was written in response to the 1963 bombing of a southern church in Birmingham, Alabama. Although it deals with an unfortunate and upsetting situation, the poem has a catchy sound and upbeat rhythm. It is a conversation between a mother and daughter during a period of serious upheaval and commotion in African American communities in the early 1960s. The readers assume that the daughter is young, given the fact that the mother addresses her as baby. This assumption, however, may not be valid because of the culture. In the African American culture it is not unusual for a mother to call her children, no matter what age, baby or child. Another clue that she is young is the description of her small black hands.

The setting of the poem is Birmingham, Alabama, and it is 1963. It is important for the readers of this poem to consider the time period during which this poem was composed. In the South, especially in the 1960 s, relations were not good between African Americans and whites. African Americans were often the target of hate crimes and prejudice.

The theme of the poem is not directly stated, it is to be understood by its audience. The poem tells the story of a young girl who asks her mother if she can participate in a Freedom March on the streets of Birmingham. Her mother refuses to let her go due to the fact that there is a high risk that the march is potentially dangerous. Instead of a march in the streets, the mother suggests that the daughter go to church and sing in the choir, where she will be safe. The poem takes an unexpected turn when the mother hears an explosion. Instead of performing a hate crime at the demonstration, the church was bombed.

Order custom essay An Analysis of the Unfortunate and Upsetting Situation in the Poem Ballad of Birmingham with free plagiarism report

450+ experts on 30 subjects Starting from 3 hours delivery

Get Essay Help

The speakers of the poem are describing a specific event that is taking place in the present time. Aside from the mother and the daughter speaking, the last four stanzas (with the exception of the last two lines) are interpreted by an outside narrator. Although the poem was written in 1969, the reader gets the feel that they are there, in the same setting as the poem. Since Randall composed this poem six years after the event took place, it must have made an impression on him. The 1960s were a decade of political instability and radical change. The early half of the decade saw much of the civil rights action, and the later half of the decade saw more of the opposition to Vietnam. Perhaps during 1969, the author witnessed some of these demonstrations and was reminded of the earlier tragedies. The structure of this poem is very basic, while the style of this poem is very unique. The Ballad of Birmingham is a lyric poem with an ABAB structure. It is a narrative poem as well, because it tells a story. The following sample is the first stanza of the poem:

Mother dear, may I go downtown

Instead of out to play,

And march in the streets of Birmingham

In a Freedom March today?

Every stanza is structured the same way. It is unusual for a writer to take this approach when discussing such a difficult topic. When reading this poem out loud, the reader is able to see how the stanzas resemble musical verses from a song. This relates to the title of the poem. A ballad is a song, a the Ballad of Birmingham is a poem that sounds like a song.

I enjoy reading this poem very much. I have read it in the past, but I never really let it in. It is a beautiful poem with a grave tragedy hovering over it at all times. Ballad of Birmingham recalls a real situation, although the story told here is most likely fabricated. Many innocent people, including children and elders, were killed when the Southern church was bombed. I enjoy any type of writing, not just poetry. that describes actual historical events. Unfortunately, most major historical events are not positive. After reading this poem, it is interesting for the readers to tackle an important question: Has the United States made any progress in racial relations since the 1960s? Immediately. examples such as the beating of Rodney King and gang violence come to mind. We may not be segregated any longer by having to use separate rest rooms and water fountains, but we are separated as far as neighborhoods and more importantly, culture.

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Run a free check or have your essay done for you

Check my essay Hire Writer