⚽ The Ball Poem

About the Poem

📖 Poem Notes

John Berryman — A boy loses his ball in the water. Adults offer to buy a new one but that misses the point. The ball represents childhood and all that is irreplaceable. Loss teaches us that some things cannot be restored — we must learn to cope, to grieve, and to move on. First experience of responsibility and loss.

🔑 Key Points

  • Learn the central theme and message for exam
  • Note any literary devices: metaphor, personification, irony, symbolism
  • The poem is from the First Flight textbook