Ballad

     I don't quite have ballad format down as much as I'd like, but for a first try I thought this turned out pretty well. For Studies in Poetry. The very-long-but-functional title is "General Opinion in Town Following a Home-Grown Murder Case."

News headline says he’ll soon confess,

apology or saving grace,

won’t matter none around this place

when it comes to murder.

The facts are these: Pam strangled late

last summer down by the river,

September can get pretty dark

and Todd’s soul’s bent to slivers –

The scandal horrified our town,

First Baptist and the bars

were full, as folks tried to understand

the darkness in men’s hearts.

This tale’s on its way to legend,

one girl, one guy, depression –

we maybe won’t know if – why? – he was predestined,

committing this deed of fatal aggression.