Poems For People Who Hate Poetry

Send us a textToday I explain why ballads are important for everyone to read. Our ballad today is a traditional one about an old peasant woman who sends her three sons all out to sea, and they all die. Then she curses the sea. The sons return for Martinmas (November 11th). Martinmas was a celebration of St Martin. On this day, the town would get together while they killed the animals needed to survive the winter. It was hard work and singing ballads made it more bearable. At this point of the year, the nights were lang and mirk (long and dark.) Which is perfect for a good ghost story.You can hear a modern rendition of this very old ballad sung by the UK rock band Steeleye Span: https://open.spotify.com/track/4fPaMYuy5KfwXiaKcNrLOzThere lived a wife at Usher’s Well,And a wealthy wife was she;She had three stout and stalwart sons,And sent them o’er the sea.They hadna been a week from her,A week but barely ane,Whan word came to the carlin wifeThat her three sons were gane.They hadna been a week from her,A week b