Ballad of Birmingham Analysis
“Ballad of Birmingham” In the poem, “Ballad of Birmingham”, Dudley Randall depicts the real historical events of the 1963 bombing of Martin Luther King Jr.’s church by white hate criminals in Birmingham, Alabama. Although this is the background and basis to the poem, I believe there is a deeper meaning that just that. Beneath the talk of innocence by the child and the protective nature of the mother, there lies an ironic situation. This poem is not only about the tragic events of a hate crime during this time, but by use of word choice, symbolism and imagery, shows a conflict between a child who understands the severity of racism in this time and a mother who is trying to protect her child from all of the problems. The first clue that the tone of the poem is fateful and will end in tragedy is the title itself. Ballads are known to tell tragic, comic, or heroic stories by focusing on one central idea or event (Poetry Foundation). Since the subtitle, (On the Bombing of a Church in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963) is given as well, we know the setting of the poem. This also gives another clue that there will be a death or harmful event at some point during the poem. Along with the title and subtitle, the first stanza suggests an ending to the story: “Mother dear, may I go downtown Instead of out to play, And march the streets of Birmingham In a Freedom March today?”
This child is aware of the current racial discriminations going on the world and wants to march in order to help. Given the knowledge of the child, it is foreshadowing that she will end up at the church at some point. Examining the dialect inside the poem gives many examples of the conflict between this mother and child. After the initial question by the child in the first stanza, the mother replies with: “No, baby, no, you may not go, For the dogs are fierce and wild.”
The “dogs” in this line is a metaphor to describe the white hate criminals. She knows the danger that her daughter
This child is aware of the current racial discriminations going on the world and wants to march in order to help. Given the knowledge of the child, it is foreshadowing that she will end up at the church at some point. Examining the dialect inside the poem gives many examples of the conflict between this mother and child. After the initial question by the child in the first stanza, the mother replies with: “No, baby, no, you may not go, For the dogs are fierce and wild.”
The “dogs” in this line is a metaphor to describe the white hate criminals. She knows the danger that her daughter
Cited: Marien, Catherine. “Language of Roses and Rose Symbolism.” Lilly’s Rose Garden. Lilly’s Rose Garden. Web. Poetry Foundation. “Ballad.” Poetry Foundation, 2014. Poetry Foundation. Web. Randall, Dudley. “Ballad of Birmingham.” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Writing. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 12th Edition. New York: Pearson, 2013. 800. Print.