Writing Group: The Ballad

This last prompt was to write a ballad. Ballads are a bit of folk poetry that possibly came from oral story telling traditions. On that note, one of our club members wrote a short ballad, memorized it, deleted it, and then recited it allowed. It was impressive.

At its most basic a ballad is a story. Most stanza are four to six lines with either an abab or abcb rhyme scheme. These rhyme schemes can be used within the same ballad if wanted. There is no consistent meter for all ballads, the only thing that should be consistent is the meter used in each individual ballad. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is probably the most well known ballad.

My ballad turned into less of a story and more of a meta look at romance novels. I still think it’s fun as a writing exercise. Mine is supposed to be in iambic trimeter with an abcb rhyme scheme. What do you think of the ballad? Let me know in the comments and enjoy your own writing exercises.

Ballad: Book Boyfriends

Lets meet red flag boyfriends
Morals in shades of gray
Scowling from the pages
Oh now aren’t they cliche

Oh how we swoon, oh how
We pine for men on page
Tall with wind swept hair, shirt 
Less covers all the rage

Shall we see how many
Inches proudly displayed
Let’s meet the one to tame
Poor man is so jaded

Here is the cinnamon 
Roll with a heart of gold
Waiting for the right girl 
Don’t leave the man all cold

Enter in the athlete 
That man with so much pride
Take him down a peg girl
Beware he is blue-eyed

So many issues here
That troublesome age gap 
The power imbalance
Yet those stores just slap

Find just the right love book
Enjoy your ancient fey
Read the contemporary 
Your own heart don’t betray

Note: Not all of these book boyfriends pictured below are bad, but I still think my ballad is funny.

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