"Balad of Birminghan" by Dudley Randall is about how an African-American child wants to march in a Freedom March for the African-Americans, but her mother refuses and insists she goes to church. After dressing her up, her mother sends her off to church. Shortly after, she hears an explosion at the church and goes looking for her child. She finds her white shoe, but cannot find her child. My feelings toward this poem are that I thought it had a good rhythm to it, and it was very interesting. Also, I thought it was sad how the mother could not find her daughter. The image that comes to my mind when I read the begining of this poem is an exited young girl wanting to march for her freedom. Later in the poem, I picture the daughter sitting in church when an explosion goes off, and her mother searching for her. All her mother finds is her daughter's white shoe, and I picture the mother looking very worried and concerned. Some poetic devices in this poem are rhyme scheme, where the author uses ABCB in each staza, and repitition when the author repeats, "No, baby, no, you may not go. . ." Another poetic device the author writes in this poem is alliteration, when she writes, "For I fear those guns will fire. . ." and, "wet and wild. . ." Overall, I liked this poem and I enjoyed reading it, especially out loud where I can hear the rhyme and rhythm. Also, I like reading poems about the civil rights movement from the African-American point of view, and I would love to read more poems by Dudley Randall
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