The Ball Poem Summary in English
This poem is about losing something that we like and then learning to grow up. It is about a little boy, who in his young life, for the first time, is learning what it is like to experience grief after the loss of a much-beloved possession which is here his ball. Maybe for us, the loss of a ball is of minor consequence. Our natural reaction may be that still there are many more balls. So, need not worry. But to a little boy, this is something different. One can get another ball with a very less amount of money. But, money is external and immortal here, as it cannot buy back the love and hence cannot replace the things that we love.
In this poem, the boy’s ball van is easily personifying with his young days and which were happy and innocent. People may take balls just as they will take away our innocence and force us to grow up soon. And once we lose our innocence, then we cannot get it back. But, despite all of these we have to learn to stand up. Obviously we need to be strong and get on with our life, irrespective of the sadness inside. This is the only way we will survive. Therefore, we have to learn to accept and let go.
The poet has made the use of the imagery while telling how the ball personifies the spirit of the boy’s childish innocence. We may visualize how the spirit of this little boy, like the ball, is sinking into the dark waters of the harbour. And as it drifts further away, the little boy will learn to grow up, and that part is linked to that ball grows up as well, until it is no longer a little boy.
Thus the reader may interpret this poem literally and metaphorically both. If literally, it is a soulful picture of little boys growing up and learning to deal with the loss of the first in his possession. If metaphorically, it is the story of mankind learning how to deal with the loss of their favourite things or people.
Thinking About the Poem
In pairs, attempt the following questions.
Question 1.
Why does the poet say, “I would not intrude on him” ? Why doesn’t he offer him money to buy another ball ?
Answer:
The poet says so because the boy is shaken by the loss of his ball. The poet emphasises this loss. This loss can’t be compensated with any money or anything. So he doesn’t give the boy money.
Question 2.
“…….. staring.downl All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went ……” Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time ? Is it linked to the memories of days when he played with it ?
Answer:
Yes, the boy had it for a long time. It is seen in ‘staring down/All his young days…’ The boy’s staring into the harbour shows one thing. It is that the ball had links to the memories of many days.
Question 3.
What does “in the world of possessions” mean ?
Answer:
It means the world of materialism. In it one’s possessions carry importance. It is also of consumerism.
Question 4.
Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier ? Pick out the words that suggest the answer.
Answer:
The boy has lost something earlier also. It is seen in the opening line ‘What is the boy now’.
Question 5.
What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball ? Try to explain this in your own words.
Answer:
The poet says that the boy is learning the nature of the loss. It is in the loss of the ball. Actually, the boy is shaken in the loss. Now he tries to understand its emotional implication.
Question 6.
Have you ever lost something you liked very much ? Write a paragraph describing how you felt then, and saying whether—and how—you got over your loss.
Answer:
Yes, I have lost many things during the past years. I loved my favourite shirt. I loved it very much. It had a very pleasing colour. It had been stitched as if for me only. Its cloth was very smooth and lovely. It looked very nice on my body. I lay worried for many days at this loss. It couldn’t simply be out of my mind. I felt shaken. I tried to forget it but I could not. Only after many months would I be able to forget it.
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