TUTORIAL: HOW TO WRITE A BALLAD AND

FREE VERSE POEM

LESLIE RIDEAUXTEC-539 DIGITAL MEDIA IN EDUCATION

JULY 9, 2011

WHAT IS 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.

Where did it begin?•Ballads began in the European folk tradition usually accompanied by musical instruments.•Ballads were preserved orally for generations to pass on through recitation.

Traditional ballads were stories and romantic tales set to melody and rhyming and were penned in a style so as to be sung to music.

STEP ONE:

Explore examples of famous ballads to get an idea of the format. This exercise will give you a feel of the rhyme and the rhythm, which is the

main part of the poem for a ballad.

The Whistle: A Ballad by Robert Burns

Donica - A Ballad by Robert Southey

The Ballad of Persse O'Reilly by James Joyce

A Ballad Of The Trees And The Master by Sidney Lanier

There are many online sites available to help you research to create your own beautiful ballad.

http://mysongbook.de/msb/songlist.html

www.studyguide.org/ballads.htm

http://www.funny-poems-for-free.com/ballad-poetry.html

http://www.studyguide.org/ballad_examples.htm

Available websites:

STEP TWO:

Think of an interesting plot or theme. Let your imagination run wild and think out-of-the-box.

Your ballad may be written about fiction, fantasy, humor, or horror.

STEP THREE:

Think of any starting phrase, word or a line relevant to your storyline or theme and then build your ballad using the phrase as a medium.

You may be inclined to just write a ballad without any decided plot or story. If this occurs, a phrase or an inspirational line will help you a lot in framing your ballad.

The starter phrase need not necessarily be the starting lines of your ballad; in many cases it can form the chorus.

An idea or a phrase that suddenly comes to mind may be an inspiration for a beautiful ballad. A catchy phrase that gets people’s attention can also be used as the chorus.

You can also have your ballad about a particular thing with descriptive words that will make a creative and inspirational ballad.

using a quotation or familiar phrase relating a personal story or anecdotecreating suspense or dissonance

connecting with something your audience knows or cares about

relating a personal story or anecdote

STEP FOUR:

Add and finalize the verse or a chorus that contains the starter phrase. Ballads often have four lines verses, out of which two or more lines rhyme.

Usually the rhyming pattern is either abac, aabb, or acbc. The most common rhyme schemes are one in which the word at the end of the first line rhymes with

the word at the end of the second, and the word at the end of the third line rhymes with the word at the end of the fourth line.

STEP FIVE:

Once you have succeeded in creating or writing your first verse or chorus, continue own using the same format.

The rest should not be a problem to complete. Don’t be confined to using same format. You can change rhyme patterns throughout your ballad just

as long as it relates to the particular verse or chorus.

STEP SIX:

Once you have completed all your choruses and verses, your ballad is ready to be read or sung. After awhile, look over it to critique it for any necessary changes.

After you are satisfied with any changes, voila, you have written your ballad. Congratulations!

HOW TO WRITE A FREE VERSE POEM?

WHAT IS FREE VERSE?

Free verse is form of poetry composed of either rhymed or unrhymed lines that have no set fixed metrical pattern.

WHERE DID IT ORIGINATE?

The early 20th-century poets were the first to write what they called "free verse" which allowed them to break from the formula and rigidity of traditional poetry.

1. Get familiar with free verse poetry. Read poetry by well-know

poets Visit poetry website-

www.poetryfoundation.org

2. UNDERSTAND POETIC DEVICES AND FIGURES OF SPEECH

Use allusion, assonance, and onomatopoeia to create sound effects.

Use simile, metaphor, and personification to express meaning and emotion.

3. SELECT A TOPIC

Choose something you are interested or passionate about.

Brainstorm ideas

Write about what you have seen, read, or heard.

4. FREE WRITE

Jot down whatever comes to mind.

Write about your feelings or thoughts.

Write about your memories or experiences.

Write about your attitudes, beliefs, or views.

5. WRITE A ROUGH DRAFT

Narrow your topic.

Make sure your poem has a beginning, middle, and end.

Use descriptive words

Show pictures through words by using imagery.

Place important facts at the beginning or end of a line.

6. REWRITE POEM

Edit poem several times.

Check for spelling, punctuation, imagery, sound, figures of speech, and meaning.

7. FINAL PROJECT

End with important and provocative point.

Make sure there is a focal point of the poem.

RESOURCESBallad Writing Tips. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from www.studyguide.org/ballads.htm

Poetic Form : Ballad. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5769

The Creative Writer. Retrieved July 7, 2011 from http://sites.google.com/site/dbhcreativewriter/elements-of-poetry/how-to-analyze-a-poem/how-to-write-free-verse

Types of Poetry. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from http://www.types-of-poetry.org.uk/24-free-verse.htm