'The Ballad Of Blasphemous Bill' by Robert Service
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Ballads of a CheechakoI took a contract to bury the body of blasphemous Bill MacKie,
Whenever, wherever or whatsoever the manner of death he die--
Whether he die in the light o' day or under the peak-faced moon;
In cabin or dance-hall, camp or dive, mucklucks or patent shoon;
On velvet tundra or virgin peak, by glacier, drift or draw;
In muskeg hollow or canyon gloom, by avalanche, fang or claw;
By battle, murder or sudden wealth, by pestilence, hooch or lead--
I swore on the Book I would follow and look till I found my tombless dead.For Bill was a dainty kind of cuss, and his mind was mighty sot
On a dinky patch with flowers and grass in a civilized bone-yard lot.
And where he died or how he died, it didn't matter a damn
So long as he had a grave with frills and a tombstone "epigram".
So I promised him, and he paid the price in good cheechako coin
(Which the same I blowed in that very night down in the Tenderloin).
Then I painted a three-foot slab of pine: "Here lies poor Bill MacKie",
And I hung it up on my cabin wall and I waited for Bill to die.Years passed away, and at last one day came a squaw with a story strange,
Of a long-deserted line of traps 'way back of the Bighorn range;
Of a little hut by the great divide, and a white man stiff and still,
Lying there by his lonesome self, and I figured it must be Bill.
So I thought of the contract I'd made with him, and I took down from the shelf
The swell black box with the silver plate he'd picked out for hisself;
And I packed it full of grub and "hooch", and I slung it on the sleigh;
Then I harnessed up my team of dogs and was off at dawn of day.You know what it's like in the Yukon wild when it's sixty-nine below;
When the ice-worms wriggle their purple heads through the crust of the pale blue snow;
When the pine-trees crack like little guns in the silence of the wood,
And the icicles hang down like tusks under the parka hood;
When the stove-pipe smoke breaks sudden off, and the sky is weirdly lit,
And the careless feel of a bit of steel burns like a red-hot spit;
When the mercury is a frozen ball, and the frost-fiend stalks to kill--
Well, it was just like that that day when I set out to look for Bill.Oh, the awful hush that seemed to crush me down on every hand,
As I blundered blind with a trail to find through that blank and bitter land;
Half dazed, half crazed in the winter wild, with its grim heart-breaking woes,
And the ruthless strife for a grip on life that only the sourdough knows!
North by the compass, North I pressed; river and peak and plain
Passed like a dream I slept to lose and I waked to dream again.River and plain and mighty peak--and who could stand unawed?
As their summits blazed, he could stand undazed at the foot of the throne of God.
North, aye, North, through a land accurst, shunned by the scouring brutes,
And all I heard was my own harsh word and the whine of the malamutes,
Till at last I came to a cabin squat, built in the side of a hill,
And I burst in the door, and there on the floor, frozen to death, lay Bill.Ice, white ice, like a winding-sheet, sheathing each smoke-grimed wall;
Ice on the stove-pipe, ice on the bed, ice gleaming over all;
Sparkling ice on the dead man's chest, glittering ice in his hair,
Ice on his fingers, ice in his heart, ice in his glassy stare;
Hard as a log and trussed like a frog, with his arms and legs outspread.
I gazed at the coffin I'd brought for him, and I gazed at the gruesome dead,
And at last I spoke: "Bill liked his joke; but still, goldarn his eyes,
A man had ought to consider his mates in the way he goes and dies."Have you ever stood in an Arctic hut in the shadow of the Pole,
With a little coffin six by three and a grief you can't control?
Have you ever sat by a frozen corpse that looks at you with a grin,
And that seems to say: "You may try all day, but you'll never jam me in"?
I'm not a man of the quitting kind, but I never felt so blue
As I sat there gazing at that stiff and studying what I'd do.
Then I rose and I kicked off the husky dogs that were nosing round about,
And I lit a roaring fire in the stove, and I started to thaw Bill out.Well, I thawed and thawed for thirteen days, but it didn't seem no good;
His arms and legs stuck out like pegs, as if they was made of wood.
Till at last I said: "It ain't no use--he's froze too hard to thaw;
He's obstinate, and he won't lie straight, so I guess I got to--saw."
So I sawed off poor Bill's arms and legs, and I laid him snug and straight
In the little coffin he picked hisself, with the dinky silver plate;
And I came nigh near to shedding a tear as I nailed him safely down;
Then I stowed him away in my Yukon sleigh, and I started back to town.So I buried him as the contract was in a narrow grave and deep,
And there he's waiting the Great Clean-up, when the Judgment sluice-heads sweep;
And I smoke my pipe and I meditate in the light of the Midnight Sun,
And sometimes I wonder if they was, the awful things I done.
And as I sit and the parson talks, expounding of the Law,
I often think of poor old Bill--
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Ballad Of Blasphemous Bill: A Masterpiece of Dark Humor and Irony
The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill is a classic poem by Robert Service that has endured the test of time. It tells the story of a man named Bill, who is an unrepentant sinner and blasphemer. He defies God and the church, and lives a life of debauchery and sin. However, in the end, he meets a gruesome fate that is both ironic and fitting.
The Plot
The poem is set in the wild west, and it starts with Bill riding into town on a horse. He is dressed in a flashy manner, and he is carrying a bottle of whiskey. He is greeted by the townspeople, who are all afraid of him. They know him to be a blasphemer, and they fear that he will bring down the wrath of God upon them. However, Bill is unconcerned. He mocks the townspeople and their religion, and he declares that he is not afraid of God.
Bill then proceeds to live a life of debauchery and sin. He drinks, he gambles, and he sleeps around. He defies God and the church at every turn, and he becomes more and more infamous as time goes on. However, his sins catch up with him, and he meets a gruesome fate. He is struck by lightning while riding his horse, and he dies a horrible death. The townspeople bury him in an unmarked grave, and they hope that he will never rise again.
The Themes
The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill is a poem that deals with several themes. At its core, it is a poem about sin and redemption. Bill is a sinner, and he defies God and the church. However, he is also a tragic figure, and his sins ultimately lead to his downfall. The poem is also a commentary on the power of religion. The townspeople are afraid of Bill because he is a blasphemer, and they fear that he will bring down the wrath of God upon them. This fear is what ultimately leads to Bill's downfall.
The poem also deals with the theme of irony. Throughout the poem, Bill mocks God and the church, and he declares that he is not afraid of them. However, in the end, it is God who strikes him down. This is a fitting and ironic end to the story, and it underscores the power of God and the futility of defying him.
The Style
The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill is a poem that is written in a very specific style. It is a ballad, which means that it has a specific rhythm and structure. The poem is written in quatrains, which means that it has four lines per stanza. The rhyme scheme is also specific, with the first and third lines of each stanza rhyming, as well as the second and fourth lines. This gives the poem a very musical quality, and it is easy to imagine it being sung or recited.
The language used in the poem is also very specific. It is written in a very folksy style, with lots of slang and colloquialisms. This gives the poem a very down-to-earth quality, and it makes it easy to relate to the characters and the setting. The language is also very descriptive, and it paints a vivid picture of the wild west and the characters who inhabit it.
The Interpretation
The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill is a poem that can be interpreted in several different ways. On the surface, it is a story about a sinner who defies God and the church. However, it can also be seen as a commentary on the power of religion and the fear that it can inspire. The townspeople are afraid of Bill because he is a blasphemer, and they fear that he will bring down the wrath of God upon them. This fear ultimately leads to their downfall, as well as Bill's.
The poem can also be seen as a commentary on the hypocrisy of religion. The townspeople are all devout Christians, but they are also sinners. They drink, they gamble, and they sleep around. They are no better than Bill, yet they judge him harshly for his sins. This hypocrisy is what ultimately leads to their downfall, as well as Bill's.
Finally, the poem can be seen as a commentary on the futility of defying God. Bill defies God and the church at every turn, and he declares that he is not afraid of them. However, in the end, it is God who strikes him down. This underscores the power of God and the futility of defying him.
Conclusion
The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill is a masterpiece of dark humor and irony. It is a poem that deals with several themes, including sin and redemption, the power of religion, and the futility of defying God. The poem is written in a very specific style, with a musical rhythm and descriptive language. It can be interpreted in several different ways, and it is a testament to the enduring power of poetry.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill: A Tale of Redemption and Regret
Robert Service's "The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill" is a classic poem that tells the story of a man who defies God and pays the ultimate price for his blasphemy. The poem is a powerful exploration of the themes of redemption, regret, and the consequences of one's actions. In this analysis, we will explore the meaning and significance of this timeless work of poetry.
The poem tells the story of Blasphemous Bill, a man who openly defies God and mocks the idea of an afterlife. He is a man who lives for the moment, indulging in all of life's pleasures without a care for the future. He is a man who believes that he is invincible and that nothing can touch him. However, his arrogance and defiance are soon put to the test when he is struck down by a bolt of lightning.
The poem begins with a description of Bill's blasphemous ways. He is a man who openly mocks the idea of God and the afterlife, declaring that he will live life to the fullest and enjoy all of its pleasures. He is a man who believes that he is above the laws of God and that he can do whatever he wants without consequence. However, his arrogance and defiance are soon put to the test when he is struck down by a bolt of lightning.
The poem then shifts to a description of Bill's regret and remorse. He realizes that he has been wrong all along and that there is indeed a God who punishes those who defy him. He is filled with regret for his past actions and wishes that he could turn back time and live his life differently. He realizes that he has wasted his life on meaningless pleasures and that he has nothing to show for it.
The poem then moves to a description of Bill's redemption. He realizes that he must make amends for his past actions and seek forgiveness from God. He begins to pray and ask for forgiveness, hoping that he will be granted a second chance. He realizes that he has been given a second chance at life and that he must make the most of it.
The poem ends with a description of Bill's transformation. He becomes a changed man, no longer the arrogant and defiant person he once was. He is now humble and grateful for the second chance he has been given. He realizes that life is precious and that he must make the most of it. He becomes a man of faith, believing in the power of God and the importance of living a good life.
The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill is a powerful exploration of the themes of redemption, regret, and the consequences of one's actions. It is a cautionary tale that warns against the dangers of arrogance and defiance. It is a reminder that we are all mortal and that we must make the most of our time on this earth. It is a call to live a good life, to seek forgiveness for our past mistakes, and to make amends for our past actions.
In conclusion, The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill is a timeless work of poetry that continues to resonate with readers today. It is a powerful exploration of the themes of redemption, regret, and the consequences of one's actions. It is a reminder that we are all mortal and that we must make the most of our time on this earth. It is a call to live a good life, to seek forgiveness for our past mistakes, and to make amends for our past actions. It is a poem that will continue to inspire and move readers for generations to come.
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