The Friday Fling Goes To A Summer Fair
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Friday Fling #138 July 22nd 2011
Next in our July Fling Summer Fun Series schedule, we are going to a Fair! Could be the State Fair, a smaller travelling fair, or even a World’s Fair!
OK so the last hasn’t been seen in the US now for decades. But if you went to one, it probably had an impact! The important thing is we want to write about fairs in general, or one or more specific fairs you enjoyed and remember!
The ballad format is very congenial for this topic, not only because in times past ballads were written about going to the fair, but they were sung at them!
A ballad is a poem usually in various numbers of two to four line stanzas with a rhyme. One stanza or at least a couplet from one acts as a repeated refrain, usually repeated between every one to three stanzas.
Ballads are often made to be sung, so it is useful for them to have some kind of lyrical cadence or beat, such as emphasis on every other or every third syllable. A word such as ballad, for instance, has the emphasis on the first of its two syllables: BAL-lad.
The word “syllables” has emphasis on the first syllable when you say it: SYL-la-bles. It can be a challenge to write so that your lines “flow” in a cadence, but when they are right it can add an extra lyrical quality to reading and even singing them.
Although the famous poem “The Night Before Christmas” is not sung, it has a definite cadence which generally carries througout the narrative:
‘Twas the NIGHT before CHRISTmas, and ALL through the HOUSE,
Not a CREAture was STIRring, not Even a MOUSE.
Many ballads have an irregular yet set cadence of their own based on the melody they are written for, so the rule above about cadence is not necessarily essential.
This week the Friday Fling writes ballads about summer fairs!
Be sure to save time to read and comment fairly on your fellow Pals’ Fairgoing Flinglets. Then go enjoy your weekend, perhaps involving a fair!
Fickle Finger of Fate Award for July 15th
Congratulations Angel Love!
Good evening everyone. I hope you are all staying cool. It got up to 98 degrees today here in Ohio. Whew!!!
Let’s have some Friday Fling fun at the fair!
This is probably not really a ballad since I forgot to include the refrain but hopefully Bob will bring a good example..lol
Congrats Angel Heart for the Friday Fling award.. You deserve it!!! :love:
Well was going to wait for Bob for more instruction , examples :entertained: but, here is a write:)
Here is a Kyrielle Sonnet I wrote a year ago
This is by Sonnets over at Myboomerplace! I’m posting this for her! 😀
This is my attempt at a Ballad…I hope I did it right…
Thank you for all your wonderful writes and keep on writing tonight but I must call it a night. I’ll be back tomorrow… good night all!
I’ve been on this before at Cedar Point! Let’s just say… NEVER AGAIN!!! LOL 😯
Mine is a bit different. My earliest memories of a summer fair was the “James E. Straits Shows” summer carnival that for years came to the same field two miles down our road for a week. I never was good on the (for me nauseating) rides, and seldom had money for the games. But I remember being fascinated by the sideshow, where kids were not allowed. This is a fanciful tale mixing a real person and a real movie she made with an imaginary story line.
Sideshow Star
Have you heard the heartwarming tale
of the famous carnival barker
who always drew huge crowds year after year
under the name of Little Miss Marker?
Her legend lives on from that day to this;
curly blonde hair and eyes of blue.
On the sideshow stage no one stood taller
though she was only three foot two
Little Miss Marker the carnival barker.
Lighter or darker, no contrast was starker.
In a voice big as all outdoors,
as each odd creature’s poster she paraded by,
she’d point her baton like it was a rifle
while spouting the most outrageous lie.
Three hundred pounds became a thousand.
A hidden girdle made Siamese twins.
Without batting an eye, she would say
“Swordfish Man” had lungs, and fins.
Little Miss Marker the carnival barker
Lighter or darker, no contrast was starker.
She was innocence personified,
or so the suckers thought each time,
till she’d shout the order: “step right up!
You can see the whole show for one thin dime!”
Her own past was a mystery
The story was she had been lost
as a marker in a poker game.
between her father and the carny boss.
Little Miss Marker the carnival barker.
Lighter or darker, no contrast was starker.
She’d won many friends with her winsome charms,
like the bearded lady whom she trimmed
The sword swallower and his apeman brother
supported her when fortunes slimmed.
She was reasonably happy until the day
her parents passed by the sideshow stage;
They stole her back from the carny boss
Little Miss Marker’s life turned a new page.
Little Miss Marker the carnival barker
Lighter or darker, no contrast was starker.
Copyright July 21st 2011 RGD
This is magnificent (((Bob))) and a ballad that should be set to music. Reads with a wonderful flow! :love:
when a Carney Cries
Ferris wheels and rides every where
The smell of fried foods in the air
Multi light lighting the fair’s most
Wonderful Midway,,
I stroll down the midway,
The colors and flash,
Barkers loud as the night
Ends the day..
For only a quarter! Win a prize
Watch the look in the child’s
Eyes,,
Its wonder and surpise
Cotton candy,, on a stick
It will melt
So eat it quick,,
Too many candy apples
Red and on a stick,
Spinning rides that make you sick,
Oh the sound of the Carney’s call,
The games that bring back
The memories all..
Two for a dollar, penny a throw,
Every one laughs,
Knowing it wont go!
Music on the Midway,
The bands on a stage,
While in the pens
The pigs do play,,
Yes the smell of jams
Pie eating contest,
And small white lambs
Country or city,
The fair is the same
You come to win
A cake, a prize,
Take a ride,
Or play a game!
No one sees the Carney cry,
Or wipe the tears from his eye
For when the lights go down,
The tents ready for a new town,
The trucks on the move
Life of the Carney ,
Is to roam,
There is no place
He can call home.
Looks Like a wonderful time had by all!! Sorry I’m late I’ve been out of town and just got back in time to get the Sat Share going. With this last work project now behind me I hope to be here more for all the blogs!
This is a wonderful theme and so much Summer fun!
:love:
This took me like.. 2 hours ok I hope you like it I tried and…………
I did not make it on time!! Sorry I did not make it hug’s both of you!!!! :love: :love: :love:
maybe you can see this??? :love: :love: :love:
this continues it part of it ok I just made it small and it sucks that way!!!
I want to thank everyone that stopped by to read or submit something to the blog.. It’s been fun! :love: :entertained: