'The Ballad Of Soulful Sam' by Robert Service
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You want me to tell you a story, a yarn of the firin' line,
Of our thin red kharki 'eroes, out there where the bullets whine;
Out there where the bombs are bustin',
and the cannons like 'ell-doors slam --
Just order another drink, boys, and I'll tell you of Soulful Sam.
Oh, Sam, he was never 'ilarious, though I've 'ad some mates as was wus;
He 'adn't C. B. on his programme, he never was known to cuss.
For a card or a skirt or a beer-mug he 'adn't a friendly word;
But when it came down to Scriptures, say! Wasn't he just a bird!
He always 'ad tracts in his pocket, the which he would haste to present,
And though the fellers would use them in ways that they never was meant,
I used to read 'em religious, and frequent I've been impressed
By some of them bundles of 'oly dope he carried around in his vest.
For I -- and oh, 'ow I shudder at the 'orror the word conveys!
'Ave been -- let me whisper it 'oarsely -- a gambler 'alf of me days;
A gambler, you 'ear -- a gambler. It makes me wishful to weep,
And yet 'ow it's true, my brethren! -- I'd rather gamble than sleep.
I've gambled the 'ole world over, from Monte Carlo to Maine;
From Dawson City to Dover, from San Francisco to Spain.
Cards! They 'ave been me ruin. They've taken me pride and me pelf,
And when I'd no one to play with -- why, I'd go and I'd play by meself.
And Sam 'e would sit and watch me, as I shuffled a greasy deck,
And 'e'd say: "You're bound to Perdition,"
And I'd answer: "Git off me neck!"
And that's 'ow we came to get friendly, though built on a different plan,
Me wot's a desprite gambler, 'im sich a good young man.
But on to me tale. Just imagine . . . Darkness! The battle-front!
The furious 'Uns attackin'! Us ones a-bearin' the brunt!
Me crouchin' be'ind a sandbag, tryin' 'ard to keep calm,
When I 'ears someone singin' a 'ymn toon; be'old! it is Soulful Sam.
Yes; right in the crash of the combat, in the fury of flash and flame,
'E was shootin' and singin' serenely as if 'e enjoyed the same.
And there in the 'eat of the battle, as the 'ordes of demons attacked,
He dipped down into 'is tunic, and 'e 'anded me out a tract.
Then a star-shell flared, and I read it: Oh, Flee From the Wrath to Come!
Nice cheerful subject, I tell yer, when you're 'earin' the bullets 'um.
And before I 'ad time to thank 'im, just one of them bits of lead
Comes slingin' along in a 'urry, and it 'its my partner. . . . Dead?
No, siree! not by a long sight! For it plugged 'im 'ard on the chest,
Just where 'e'd tracts for a army corps stowed away in 'is vest.
On its mission of death that bullet 'ustled along, and it caved
A 'ole in them tracts to 'is 'ide, boys -- but the life o' me pal was saved.
And there as 'e showed me in triumph, and 'orror was chokin' me breath,
On came another bullet on its 'orrible mission of death;
On through the night it cavorted, seekin' its 'aven of rest,
And it zipped through a crack in the sandbags, and it wolloped me bang on the breast.
Was I killed, do you ask? Oh no, boys. Why am I sittin' 'ere
Gazin' with mournful vision at a mug long empty of beer?
With a throat as dry as a -- oh, thanky! I don't much mind if I do.
Beer with a dash of 'ollands, that's my particular brew.
Yes, that was a terrible moment. It 'ammered me 'ard o'er the 'eart;
It bowled me down like a nine-pin, and I looked for the gore to start;
And I saw in the flash of a moment, in that thunder of hate and strife,
Me wretched past like a pitchur -- the sins of a gambler's life.
For I 'ad no tracts to save me, to thwart that mad missile's doom;
I 'ad no pious pamphlets to 'elp me to cheat the tomb;
I 'ad no 'oly leaflets to baffle a bullet's aim;
I'd only -- a deck of cards, boys, but . . . it seemed to do just the same.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Ballad Of Soulful Sam: A Masterpiece of Poetic Storytelling
Have you ever read a poem that tells a story so vividly that you can almost see the characters and hear their voices? If not, then you must read "The Ballad Of Soulful Sam" by Robert Service. This masterpiece of poetic storytelling takes you on a journey through the life of a man named Sam - a blues singer with a heart full of pain and a soul full of music.
Overview
At first glance, "The Ballad Of Soulful Sam" may seem like a simple story of a musician and his struggles. But as you delve deeper into the poem, you realize that it is much more than that. Service uses his poetic genius to paint a picture of a man who is not only struggling with his own demons but also with the injustices of the world around him.
Analysis
The poem begins with the introduction of Soulful Sam - a blues singer who has "trod the boards since he was born" (line 3). This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, hinting at the fact that Sam's fate was predetermined from the moment he entered this world. The first stanza also introduces the theme of pain and struggle, as Sam is described as a man with a "heart of pain" (line 4) and a "soulful strain" (line 5).
The second stanza takes the reader back in time, to when Sam was a young boy, learning to play the guitar from his father. The imagery in this stanza is powerful, as we see a young Sam "strummin' the strings of a battered guitar" (line 7) while his father sings the blues. The scene is one of hardship and struggle, yet there is also a sense of beauty and love between father and son.
The third stanza introduces the character of Mandy Lou - a woman who would become Sam's wife. The imagery in this stanza is also powerful, as we see Sam and Mandy Lou "dancing to the tune of the midnight moon" (line 11). There is a sense of joy and happiness here, but it is short-lived, as the next stanza reveals that Mandy Lou was taken away from Sam by a man with "hate in his heart" (line 14).
The fifth stanza introduces the theme of injustice, as we see Sam "singin' the blues of a world gone wrong" (line 18). This theme is further explored in the following stanzas, as Sam sings about the struggles of the working man, the injustice of the law, and the pain of lost love. Service's use of imagery and metaphor is particularly effective here, as we see Sam "howlin' at the whippoorwill" (line 20) and "groanin' like a mournful dove" (line 23).
The final stanza brings the poem full circle, as Sam is once again standing on stage, singing the blues. But this time, there is a sense of acceptance and resignation in his voice, as he sings about his own mortality and the inevitability of death. The poem ends with the haunting lines, "And when they say I'm dead and gone / I hope they'll play my last sad song" (lines 34-35), leaving the reader with a sense of melancholy and sadness.
Interpretation
"The Ballad Of Soulful Sam" is a poem that speaks to the human experience - the struggle, the pain, and the injustice that we all face at one point or another in our lives. Service uses Sam as a symbol for all of us, showing us that even in the darkest of times, there is beauty and love to be found.
At its core, the poem is about the power of music to heal and to bring people together. Sam's music is not just a form of entertainment - it is a means of expressing his pain and his struggle, and it is a way of connecting with others who are also going through hard times. Through his music, Sam is able to find a sense of purpose and meaning in his life, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.
The theme of injustice is also a prominent one in the poem. Sam sings about the struggles of the working man, the injustice of the law, and the pain of lost love. Through his music, he is able to give voice to the voiceless and to shed light on the injustices that exist in the world around us. In this way, the poem is not just a personal story of one man's struggles, but a commentary on the world we live in and the injustices that we must all face.
Conclusion
"The Ballad Of Soulful Sam" is a masterpiece of poetic storytelling. Service's use of imagery and metaphor is powerful, and his ability to tell a story through poetry is unmatched. The poem speaks to the human experience - the struggle, the pain, and the injustice that we all face - and it shows us that even in the darkest of times, there is beauty and love to be found. It is a testament to the power of music to heal and to bring people together, and it is a commentary on the world we live in and the injustices that we must all face. If you have not yet read "The Ballad Of Soulful Sam," then you are missing out on one of the greatest poems of our time.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Ballad of Soulful Sam: A Tale of Love, Loss, and Redemption
Robert Service's The Ballad of Soulful Sam is a classic poem that tells the story of a man who loses everything he holds dear, but finds redemption in the end. The poem is a masterpiece of storytelling, with vivid imagery, powerful emotions, and a haunting melody that lingers long after the last line has been read.
The poem begins with a description of Sam, a man who is "tall and lean and brown and proud" and who "walked with a swagger and a swing." Sam is a man who knows what he wants and goes after it with all his heart. He is a man of passion and intensity, and his love for his wife and child is the driving force of his life.
But tragedy strikes when Sam's wife dies in childbirth, leaving him alone with a newborn son. Sam is devastated by the loss of his wife, but he is determined to raise his son and give him the best life possible. He works hard to provide for his son, but he is consumed by grief and loneliness.
As the years go by, Sam becomes more and more isolated from the world around him. He withdraws into himself, and his only solace is his son, who grows up to be a strong and independent young man. But even his son cannot fill the void in Sam's heart, and he becomes increasingly bitter and resentful.
One day, Sam's son comes to him with news that he is getting married. Sam is happy for his son, but he is also jealous and angry. He feels that his son is abandoning him, and he cannot bear the thought of being alone again. In a fit of rage, he lashes out at his son and drives him away.
Alone once again, Sam sinks deeper into despair. He drinks heavily and becomes a recluse, shunning all contact with the outside world. But one day, a stranger comes to his door, a woman who is lost and in need of help. Sam takes her in, and she becomes a ray of light in his dark and lonely world.
The woman, whose name is never revealed, is a kind and gentle soul who sees the good in Sam and helps him to see it too. She teaches him to love again, and he begins to open up to the world around him. He starts to see the beauty in nature, and he begins to appreciate the simple pleasures of life.
As Sam's love for the woman grows, he realizes that he has been given a second chance at happiness. He knows that he cannot change the past, but he can make the most of the present and the future. He decides to leave his old life behind and start anew with the woman he loves.
The poem ends with Sam and the woman walking hand in hand into the sunset, leaving behind the pain and sorrow of the past and embracing the joy and hope of the future. The final lines of the poem are a testament to the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit:
"And the world was bright and the world was new, And the world was a wonderland, For Sam had found his soul's delight, And the woman had found her man."
The Ballad of Soulful Sam is a timeless masterpiece that speaks to the universal themes of love, loss, and redemption. It is a story of a man who loses everything he holds dear, but who finds the strength to start anew and embrace the beauty of life. It is a story that reminds us that no matter how dark the night may seem, there is always a new dawn waiting to break through.
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