A Death Song.

By William Morris

Ballad
    What cometh here from west to east awending?     And who are these, the marchers stern and slow?     We bear the message that the rich are sending     Aback to those who bade them wake and know.     Not one, not one, nor thousands must they slay,     But one and all if they would dusk the day.     We asked them for a life of toilsome earning,     They bade us bide their leisure for our bread;     We craved to speak to tell our woeful learning:     We come back speechless, bearing back our dead.     Not one, not one, nor thousands must they slay,     But one and all if they would dusk the day.     They will not learn; they have no ears to hearken.     They turn their faces from the eyes of fate;     Their gay-lit halls shut out the skies that darken.     But, lo! this dead man knocking at the gate.     Not one, not one, nor thousands must they slay,     But one and all if they would dusk the day.     Here lies the sign that we shall break our prison;     Amidst the storm he won a prisoner's rest;     But in the cloudy dawn the sun arisen     Brings us our day of work to win the best.     Not one, not one, nor thousands must they slay,     But one and all if they would dusk the day.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
The poem’s stark interrogatives and anaphoric refrains create a rhythmic urgency, amplifying the labor movement’s unheeded pleas. The marchers, returning with dead comrades, embody the brutal consequences of capitalist exploitation. The repeated Not one, not one, nor thousands must they slay underscores the inevitable reckoning: oppression demands systemic, not selective, violence. The rich’s refusal to learn or hearken isolates them in their gay-lit halls, oblivious to the encroaching eyes of fate. The dead man at the gate serves as both a warning and a catalyst, foreshadowing revolution. The final stanza shifts to defiance, as the dawn’s light heralds collective action to win the best. The poem’s power lies in its compression of historical struggle into a haunting, cyclical prophecy one where the oppressed, though crushed, ultimately rise. The refrain’s insistent cadence mirrors the inexorable march of justice, leaving no doubt that the day of reckoning will come.

Understanding Ballads

A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music, that has been a cornerstone of storytelling across various cultures. Traditionally passed down orally, ballads are known for their rhythmic structure and often tell tales of love, adventure, and heroism.

Ballads are characterized by their strong rhythm and repetition, making them both memorable and engaging. Here are some defining features:

  • Narrative Structure: Ballads typically tell a story, often a dramatic or emotional tale that unfolds in a straightforward, chronological order.
  • Quatrain Stanzas: Most ballads are composed of quatrains (four-line stanzas) with a rhyme scheme of ABAB or ABCB, which adds to the musicality of the verse.
  • Repetition: Refrains or repeated lines are common in ballads, helping to emphasize key themes or emotions and making the ballad easier to remember.
  • Oral Tradition: Many ballads originated from oral traditions, which means they were passed down through generations by word of mouth before being written down.

From medieval minstrels to contemporary songwriters, ballads have continued to evolve, remaining a beloved form of expression that captures the human experience in a way that is both poetic and accessible.