Ballad Of Women I Love

By Eugene Field

Ballad
    Prudence Mears hath an old blue plate     Hid away in an oaken chest,     And a Franklin platter of ancient date     Beareth Amandy Baker's crest;     What times soever I've been their guest,     Says I to myself in an undertone:     "Of womenfolk, it must be confessed,     These do I love, and these alone."     Well, again, in the Nutmeg State,     Dorothy Pratt is richly blest     With a relic of art and a land effete--     A pitcher of glass that's cut, not pressed.     And a Washington teapot is possessed     Down in Pelham by Marthy Stone--     Think ye now that I say in jest     "These do I love, and these alone?"     Were Hepsy Higgins inclined to mate,     Or Dorcas Eastman prone to invest     In Cupid's bonds, they could find their fate     In the bootless bard of Crockery Quest.     For they've heaps of trumpery--so have the rest     Of those spinsters whose ware I'd like to own;     You can see why I say with such certain zest,     "These do I love, and these alone."

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a playful yet poignant dive into the themes of love, materialism, and personal value. The poet uses antique tableware as symbols of affection, the items' rarity and age serving as a metaphor for the preciousness of love and friendship. The repeated refrain, "These do I love, and these alone," adds a layer of irony by suggesting that the speaker values the tableware over the women themselves, while also hinting at a deeper fondness for the women who are the caretakers of these items.

The tone of the poem is light and humorous, with the speaker's seemingly frivolous pursuit of "Crockery Quest" and the wry acknowledgment of the women's "trumpery." Yet, beneath this whimsical surface, there's a nuanced exploration of human connection. The speaker's fascination with the women's possessions could be read as a metaphor for their longing for connection and intimacy, while the women's reluctance to "mate" or "invest in Cupid's bonds" suggests a shared resistance to romance, perhaps due to past heartbreak or fear of vulnerability. This subtle interplay between humor and emotional depth lends the poem a rich, complex texture.

Structurally, the poem uses rhymed quatrains and a consistent refrain to create a musical rhythm, while the use of archaic language and references to figures like Franklin and Washington evoke a sense of nostalgia. This combination of traditional poetic structure and playful, modern language helps to create a poem that is at once entertaining, thought-provoking, and deeply human.

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.