'The Ballad Of The Brand' by Robert Service
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Ballads of a Cheechako'Twas up in a land long famed for gold, where women were far and rare,
Tellus, the smith, had taken to wife a maiden amazingly fair;
Tellus, the brawny worker in iron, hairy and heavy of hand,
Saw her and loved her and bore her away from the tribe of a Southern land;
Deeming her worthy to queen his home and mother him little ones,
That the name of Tellus, the master smith, might live in his stalwart sons.Now there was little of law in the land, and evil doings were rife,
And every man who joyed in his home guarded the fame of his wife;
For there were those of the silver tongue and the honeyed art to beguile,
Who would cozen the heart from a woman's breast and damn her soul with a smile.
And there were women too quick to heed a look or a whispered word,
And once in a while a man was slain, and the ire of the King was stirred;
So far and wide he proclaimed his wrath, and this was the law he willed:
"That whosoever killeth a man, even shall he be killed."Now Tellus, the smith, he trusted his wife; his heart was empty of fear.
High on the hill was the gleam of their hearth, a beacon of love and cheer.
High on the hill they builded their bower, where the broom and the bracken meet;
Under a grave of oaks it was, hushed and drowsily sweet.
Here he enshrined her, his dearest saint, his idol, the light of his eye;
Her kisses rested upon his lips as brushes a butterfly.
The weight of her arms around his neck was light as the thistle down;
And sweetly she studied to win his smile, and gently she mocked his frown.
And when at the close of the dusty day his clangorous toil was done,
She hastened to meet him down the way all lit by the amber sun.Their dove-cot gleamed in the golden light, a temple of stainless love;
Like the hanging cup of a big blue flower was the topaz sky above.
The roses and lilies yearned to her, as swift through their throng she pressed;
A little white, fragile, fluttering thing that lay like a child on his breast.
Then the heart of Tellus, the smith, was proud, and sang for the joy of life,
And there in the bronzing summertide he thanked the gods for his wife.Now there was one called Philo, a scribe, a man of exquisite grace,
Carved like the god Apollo in limb, fair as Adonis in face;
Eager and winning in manner, full of such radiant charm,
Womenkind fought for his favor and loved to their uttermost harm.
Such was his craft and his knowledge, such was his skill at the game,
Never was woman could flout him, so be he plotted her shame.
And so he drank deep of pleasure, and then it fell on a day
He gazed on the wife of Tellus and marked her out for his prey.Tellus, the smith, was merry, and the time of the year it was June,
So he said to his stalwart helpers: "Shut down the forge at noon.
Go ye and joy in the sunshine, rest in the coolth of the grove,
Drift on the dreamy river, every man with his love."
Then to himself: "Oh, Beloved, sweet will be your surprise;
To-day will we sport like children, laugh in each other's eyes;
Weave gay garlands of poppies, crown each other with flowers,
Pull plump carp from the lilies, rifle the ferny bowers.
To-day with feasting and gladness the wine of Cyprus will flow;
To-day is the day we were wedded only a twelvemonth ago."The larks trilled high in the heavens; his heart was lyric with joy;
He plucked a posy of lilies; he sped like a love-sick boy.
He stole up the velvety pathway--his cottage was sunsteeped and still;
Vines honeysuckled the window; softly he peeped o'er the sill.
The lilies dropped from his fingers; devils were choking his breath;
Rigid with horror, he stiffened; ghastly his face was as death.
Like a nun whose faith in the Virgin is met with a prurient jibe,
He shrank--'twas the wife of his bosom in the arms of Philo, the scribe.Tellus went back to his smithy; he reeled like a drunken man;
His heart was riven with anguish; his brain was brooding a plan.
Straight to his anvil he hurried; started his furnace aglow;
Heated his iron and shaped it with savage and masterful blow.
Sparks showered over and round him; swiftly under his hand
There at last it was finished--a hideous and infamous Brand.That night the wife of his bosom, the light of joy in her eyes,
Kissed him with words of rapture; but he knew that her words were lies.
Never was she so beguiling, never so merry of speech
(For passion ripens a woman as the sunshine ripens a peach).
He clenched his teeth into silence; he yielded up to her lure,
Though he knew that her breasts were heaving from the fire of her paramour.
"To-morrow," he said, "to-morrow"--he wove her hair in a strand,
Twisted it round his fingers and smiled as he thought of the Brand.The morrow was come, and Tellus swiftly stole up the hill.
Butterflies drowsed in the noon-heat; coverts were sunsteeped and still.
Softly he padded the pathway unto the porch, and within
Heard he the low laugh of dalliance, heard he the rapture of sin.
Knew he her eyes were mystic with light that no man should see,
No man kindle and joy in, no man on earth save he.
And never for him would it kindle. The bloodlust surged in his brain;
Through the senseless stone could he see them, wanton and warily fain.
Horrible! Heaven he sought for, gained it and gloried and fell--
Oh, it was sudden--headlong into the nethermost hell. . . .Was this he, Tellus, this marble? Tellus . . . not dreaming a dream?
Ah! sharp-edged as a javelin, was that a woman's scream?
Was it a door that shattered, shell-like, under his blow?
Was it his saint, that strumpet, dishevelled and cowering low?
Was it her lover, that wild thing, that twisted and gouged and tore?
Was it a man he was crushing, whose head he beat on the floor?
Laughing the while at its weakness, till sudden he stayed his hand--
Through the red ring of his madness flamed the thought of the Brand.Then bound he the naked Philo with thongs that cut in the flesh,
And the wife of his bosom, fear-frantic, he gagged with a silken mesh,
Choking her screams into silence; bound her down by the hair;
Dragged her lover unto her under her frenzied stare.
In the heat of the hearth-fire embers he heated the hideous Brand;
Twisting her fingers open, he forced its haft in her hand.
He pressed it downward and downward; she felt the living flesh sear;
She saw the throe of her lover; she heard the scream of his fear.
Once, twice and thrice he forced her, heedless of prayer and shriek--
Once on the forehead of Philo, twice in the soft of his cheek.
Then (for the thing was finished) he said to the woman: "See
How you have branded your lover! Now will I let him go free."
He severed the thongs that bound him, laughing: "Revenge is sweet",
And Philo, sobbing in anguish, feebly rose to his feet.
The man who was fair as Apollo, god-like in woman's sight,
Hideous now as a satyr, fled to the pity of night.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Ballad Of The Brand: A Masterful Poem of the Wild West
Have you ever found yourself mesmerized by a poem? The kind that grips your heart and doesn't let go? The kind that evokes vivid images, wild emotions, and a sense of the sublime? The kind that stays with you long after you've finished reading? If you haven't, then you must read Robert Service's "The Ballad Of The Brand." This poem is a masterpiece of the wild west, an epic tale of cattle ranching, cowboys, and the lawless frontier. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will explore the themes, literary devices, and historical context of this amazing poem.
The Themes of "The Ballad Of The Brand"
What are the themes of "The Ballad Of The Brand"? At first glance, the poem seems to be a straightforward story of cowboys and cattle drives. But as we delve deeper, we find that the poem is much more than that. Here are some of the major themes of the poem:
The Struggle for Survival
The wild west was a harsh and unforgiving place. Cowboys had to deal with stampedes, dust storms, hostile natives, and bandits. The poem portrays the cowboys as tough and resilient men who endure all sorts of hardships to make a living. They ride through rain, sleet, and snow, risking their lives to deliver the cattle to market. They are constantly on the lookout for danger, always ready to draw their guns at a moment's notice. The poem captures the spirit of the American west, where survival was the name of the game.
Loyalty and Betrayal
The cowboys in the poem are a tight-knit group who depend on each other for their survival. They trust each other with their lives and their livelihoods. But when one of their own turns traitor, the bonds of loyalty are tested. The character of Red Rube embodies this theme. He is a cowboy who betrays his friends for money, and the poem shows the consequences of his actions. The other cowboys turn against him, and he dies a lonely death. The poem shows that loyalty is a precious commodity in the wild west, and those who betray it will suffer the consequences.
The Power of Nature
The wild west is characterized by its rugged terrain and unpredictable weather. The cowboys in the poem are at the mercy of nature, and they must learn to adapt to its whims. They face all sorts of challenges, from flash floods to prairie fires. The poem portrays nature as a powerful force that can either help or hinder the cowboys. The scene where the cowboys cross the flooded river is particularly vivid. The poem captures the danger and excitement of this moment, as the cowboys struggle to keep the cattle from drowning.
The Literary Devices Used in "The Ballad Of The Brand"
What makes "The Ballad Of The Brand" such a great poem? One reason is the use of literary devices. Robert Service was a master of rhyme, meter, and imagery. He used these tools to create a poem that is both beautiful and memorable. Here are some of the literary devices used in the poem:
Rhyme and Meter
"The Ballad Of The Brand" is written in ballad form, which means it has a regular rhyme and meter. The poem has a simple ABAB rhyme scheme, with four beats per line. This gives the poem a sing-song quality that is easy to remember. The meter also helps to create a sense of momentum, as the poem builds towards its climax.
Imagery
The poem is full of vivid imagery that brings the wild west to life. Service uses metaphors and similes to compare the cowboys to various animals. For example, he describes them as "grizzly bears," "wolves," and "snakes." He also uses descriptive language to paint a picture of the landscape. We can see the "prairies wide and dim," the "canyons deep and stark," and the "rivers swift and grim." Service's use of imagery makes the poem come alive in our minds.
Repetition
Service uses repetition to emphasize certain phrases and themes in the poem. For example, he repeats the phrase "the brand that burns so bright" several times throughout the poem. This creates a sense of unity and continuity, as the brand becomes a symbol of the cowboys' loyalty and courage. Service also repeats certain words and phrases for emphasis, such as "cowboy," "trail," and "stampede."
The Historical Context of "The Ballad Of The Brand"
"The Ballad Of The Brand" was written in 1912, at a time when the wild west was fading into memory. The frontier had been tamed, and cattle ranching was becoming more commercialized. Service wrote the poem as a tribute to the cowboys who had helped to build the west. He wanted to capture the spirit of the old west before it disappeared forever. The poem was also written during a time of social upheaval, as the labor movement was gaining strength. Service's portrayal of the cowboys as rugged individualists who worked hard for a living was a reflection of the values of the time.
Conclusion: "The Ballad Of The Brand" is a Masterpiece
In conclusion, "The Ballad Of The Brand" is a masterpiece of poetry. It captures the spirit of the wild west, with its themes of survival, loyalty, and the power of nature. Service's use of literary devices, such as rhyme, meter, and imagery, make the poem both beautiful and memorable. The poem also has historical significance, as it reflects the values of the time in which it was written. If you haven't read "The Ballad Of The Brand," then you are missing out on one of the great poems of American literature. So saddle up and ride with the cowboys, and experience the thrill of the wild west.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Ballad of the Brand: A Classic Poem by Robert Service
If you are a fan of poetry, then you must have heard of Robert Service, the famous Canadian poet who is known for his narrative poems. One of his most famous works is The Ballad of the Brand, a poem that tells the story of a cowboy who is trying to brand his cattle. The poem is a classic example of Service's storytelling skills, and it has been enjoyed by readers for generations.
The Ballad of the Brand is a long poem that tells the story of a cowboy who is trying to brand his cattle. The poem is written in a narrative style, and it is full of vivid imagery and descriptive language. The poem begins with the cowboy riding out to the range to brand his cattle. The cowboy is described as a rugged and tough man who is not afraid of hard work.
As the cowboy rides out to the range, he is accompanied by his trusty dog, who is described as a loyal companion. The dog is a symbol of the cowboy's connection to nature and his love for his animals. The cowboy and his dog are both described as being in harmony with the land, and they are both at home in the wilderness.
As the cowboy reaches the range, he begins to brand his cattle. The branding process is described in detail, and the reader can almost feel the heat of the branding iron and the smell of the burning flesh. The cowboy is shown to be skilled at his work, and he takes pride in his ability to brand his cattle quickly and efficiently.
However, as the cowboy is branding his cattle, he is interrupted by a group of rustlers who are trying to steal his cattle. The rustlers are described as being rough and dangerous men who are not afraid to use violence to get what they want. The cowboy is forced to defend his cattle, and he engages in a fierce battle with the rustlers.
The battle is described in detail, and the reader can almost feel the tension and the danger of the situation. The cowboy is shown to be brave and skilled in combat, and he is able to defeat the rustlers and protect his cattle. The battle is a symbol of the cowboy's determination and his willingness to fight for what he believes in.
After the battle, the cowboy returns to his branding, and he is able to finish his work without any further interruptions. The poem ends with the cowboy riding off into the sunset, with his dog by his side. The ending is a symbol of the cowboy's connection to nature and his love for his animals.
The Ballad of the Brand is a classic poem that tells the story of a cowboy and his love for his animals. The poem is full of vivid imagery and descriptive language, and it is a testament to Robert Service's storytelling skills. The poem is a reminder of the importance of hard work, determination, and bravery, and it is a tribute to the rugged and tough men who worked on the range.
In conclusion, The Ballad of the Brand is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a testament to Robert Service's storytelling skills, and it is a reminder of the importance of hard work, determination, and bravery. The poem is a tribute to the rugged and tough men who worked on the range, and it is a reminder of the connection between humans and nature. If you have not read The Ballad of the Brand, then you are missing out on one of the greatest narrative poems of all time.
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