Appalachian Folk Ballad
John Henry said to his Captain
I ain't nothing but a man,
But before I'll let your steam drill
beat me down,
I'll die with my hammer in my
hand, Lord, Lord,
I'll die with my hammer in my
hand."
John Henry got a thirt pound
hammer,
Beside the steam drill he did
stand.
He beat that steam drill three
inches down,
And he died with his hammer in
his hand, Lord, Lord,
He died with his hammer in his
hand.
John Henry had a little woman,
Her name was Julie Ann,
She went down the track never
lookin' back,
Says, "John Henry, you have
always been a man, Lord, Lord,
John Henry, you have always been
a man."
They took John Henry to the
graveyard,
And buried him in the sand,
And ev'ry time that train comes
roaring by,
Says, "There lays a steel-drivin'
man, Lord, Lord,
There lays a steel-drivin' man.
On Top of Spaghetti
On top of spaghetti,
All covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball,
When somebody sneezed.
It rolled off the table,
And on to the floor,
And then my poor meatball,
Rolled out of the door.
It rolled in the garden,
And under a bush,
And then my poor meatball,
Was nothing but mush.
The mush was as tasty
As tasty could be,
And then the next summer,
It grew into a tree.
The tree was all covered,
All covered with moss,
And on it grew meatballs,
And tomato sauce.
So if you eat spaghetti,
All covered with cheese,
Hold on to your meatball,
Whenever you sneeze.
Ballad of the Green Berets
by SSgt. Barry Sadler
Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Trained to live, off nature's land
Trained in combat, hand to hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage deep, from the Green
Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed He'll be a man they'll test one day
Leaving her this last request Have him win the Green Beret.
Put silver wings on my son's chest
Make him one of America's best
Ballad Poetry Assignment Name:
________________________________

For this assignment you are to write your own ballad poem. This poem
should be written in quatrains (4 line stanzas), should have an
alternating rhyme scheme, and should tell a story. You can tell
whatever school appropriate story you want.

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