Ballad of Birmingham
...ley Randall makes the child human by describing intimate details involving the little girl; she is not just another child lost in a horrible accident. In lines fifteen and sixteen the mother tells the daughter that she can go to church and sing in the choir instead of marching. It is obvious that the mother thinks that the child will be safe in the Lord’s hands. Stanza four shows the care taken by the little girl while getting ready for church. Her beautiful hair, sweet smell, white gloves, and shoes help the reader visualize this beautiful child. Her mother only wants to protect her. This poem differs greatly from that of a historical account. A historical account would briefly state the situation, deaths, and possibly those responsible. After reading “Ballad of Birmingham” the poet has made you feel as if you know the child and the pain felt by her mother. Throughout the poem Randall described to you a situation between a mother and her daughter. In line five the mother tells her that she cannot march. Lines nine and ten describe the child telling her mother that she will not be alone, basically saying that everything will be okay. Line fifteen allows the girl to go to church. Poet Randall describes events leading up to the bombing of the church, putting the reader into the poem. In stanza seven the mother begins her journey through the streets of Birmingham, any mother could feel her agony. The disbelief and heartbreak felt in stanza eight is unbelievable. By putting emotion into the ...