The Blind Archer

By Arthur Conan Doyle

Ballad
    Little boy Love drew his bow at a chance,     Shooting down at the ballroom floor;     He hit an old chaperone watching the dance,     And oh! but he wounded her sore.     'Hey, Love, you couldn't mean that!     Hi, Love, what would you be at?'     No word would he say,     But he flew on his way,     For the little boy's busy, and how could he stay?     Little boy Love drew a shaft just for sport     At the soberest club in Pall Mall;     He winged an old veteran drinking his port,     And down that old veteran fell.     'Hey, Love, you mustn't do that!     Hi, Love, what would you be at?     This cannot be right!     It's ludicrous quite!'     But it's no use to argue, for Love's out of sight.     A sad-faced young clerk in a cell all apart     Was planning a celibate vow;     But the boy's random arrow has sunk in his heart,     And the cell is an empty one now.     'Hey, Love, you mustn't do that!     Hi, Love, what would you be at?     He is not for you,     He has duties to do.'     'But I AM his duty,' quoth Love as he flew.     The king sought a bride, and the nation had hoped     For a queen without rival or peer.     But the little boy shot, and the king has eloped     With Miss No-one on Nothing a year.     'Hey, Love, you couldn't mean that!     Hi, Love, what would you be at?     What an impudent thing     To make game of a king!'     'But I'M a king also,' cried Love on the wing.     Little boy Love grew pettish one day;     'If you keep on complaining,' he swore,     'I'll pack both my bow and my quiver away,     And so I shall plague you no more.'     'Hey, Love, you mustn't do that!     Hi, Love, what would you be at?     You may ruin our ease,     You may do what you please,     But we can't do without you, you dear little tease!'

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem uses the personification of Love as a mischievous little boy to explore the universal theme of love's unpredictability and omnipresence. It is characterized by a light-hearted, playful tone and a consistent narrative structure. Each of the five stanzas unfolds a different scenario where Love strikes unexpectedly, causing surprising, humorous, and sometimes inconvenient outcomes, serving to underscore the unpredictable nature of love.

The poet employs repetition, with the repeated questioning of Love's actions, and the refrain 'Hey, Love, you mustn't do that! Hi, Love, what would you be at?' This repetition serves to underscore the frustration and bewilderment experienced by those struck unexpectedly by love, while the consistent, rhymed structure gives the poem a rhythm that carries the reader along with the narrative. The use of dialogue and direct address to Love provides a sense of immediacy and intimacy. The poem concludes with the paradox of love being a 'dear little tease' that may 'ruin our ease,' yet it is something that we 'can't do without.' This gives the poem a universal appeal, as it encapsulates the human experience of love's paradoxical nature - its ability to disrupt and bring joy simultaneously.

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.