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John Allyn Berryman (October 25, 1914 – January 7, 1972) was an American poet and scholar, born in McAlester, Oklahoma. He was a major figure in American poetry in the second half of the 20th century and was considered a key figure in the Confessional school of poetry. His best-known work is The Dream Songs.

About the poet

About the Poem

A boy loses a ball. He is very upset. A ball doesn’t cost much, nor is it difficult to buy another ball. Why then is the boy so upset?

Read the poem to see what the poet thinks has been lost, and what the boy has to learn from the experience of losing something

GlossaryO there are other balls: The words suggest that the loss is not important enough to worry about shaking grief: sadness which greatly affects the boyrigid: stiff (to) intrude on: here, to enter a situation where one is not welcomea dime: ten cents (U.S.)desperate: hopelessepistemology of loss: understanding the nature of loss — what it means to lose somethingepistemology: The Greek word episteme means ‘knowledge’ (it comes from a word meaning ‘to understand, to know’). Epistemology is the study of thenature of knowledge itself.

PoemWhat is the boy now, who has lost his ball,What, what is he to do? I saw it goMerrily bouncing, down the street, and thenMerrily over — there it is in the water!No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boyAs he stands rigid, trembling, staring downAll his young days into the harbour whereHis ball went. I would not intrude on him;A dime, another ball, is worthless. NowHe senses first responsibilityIn a world of possessions. People will takeBalls, balls will be lost always, little boy.And no one buys a ball back. Money is external.He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,The epistemology of loss, how to stand upKnowing what every man must one day knowAnd most know many days, how to stand up.

Main idea of the poem

The ball in the poem represents so many different things to different people. To everyone, though, it is something that has been lost. It could be something abstract or something concrete that was lost. It could be a feeling that you have gone astray or the death of a loved oneThe little boy has lost his ball…and so what he can buy many new balls nut he has a very deep emotional attachment and memories associated with that ball so he regrets over the loss of the ball.

The poet is indirectly trying to tell us the we should learn how to cope up with the loss…and money is external i.e. we cant buy memories with money…We all should learn our responsibility and learn to cope up with the loss…

Comprehension Questions

Q1) What message does John Berryman want to convey through this poem?Ans1) The message that the poet wants to convey is the importance of loss and responsibility in life.  We should not forget the importance of possessions.

Q2) How does the boy feel at the loss of his ball?Ans2) The boy very much troubled at the loss of his ball. His ball falls in water. He is much upset as he has a long association with the ball.

Q3) “Money is external’ What does the poet mean by this expression taken from the ball?Ans3) He makes the boy understand about his responsibility as the loss is immaterial. He can purchase another ball. He explained that the world is full of possessions and money is external item

Prepared by

Rajendra PrasadLecturer in EnglishGSSS, Suratgarh (Sri Ganganagar)

Mob: 9929842897

Poonam YadavSenior Teacher of English

GGSSS, LBD, Raghunathsar Kuan, Bikaner

Mob: 01512231253

Academic SupportRam Gopal Sharma

Chief Resource PersonELTI, IASE, Bikaner

Edited byRameshwar Lal Basera

Reader, ELTI, IASE, Bikaner

Issued byCM Gangwal

DirectorELTI, IASE, Bikaner

Facilitated byYashoda Khatri

Resource Person, ELTI, IASE, Bikaner

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