🏀 Class 10 English Poem 5 – The Ball Poem Notes

Book: First Flight
Poem: The Ball Poem
Poet: John Berryman
Chapter: 5
Board: CBSE Class 10 (2025)

✍️ Introduction

“The Ball Poem” by John Berryman is a thoughtful poem that deals with the theme of loss and growing up. Through the simple incident of a boy losing his ball, the poet delivers a powerful message about accepting loss, learning responsibility, and understanding the harsh truths of life.

📖 Summary of the Poem

The poem begins with a young boy losing his ball as it bounces into the water and disappears. This loss seems small, but it deeply affects the boy. He stands still and stares at the place where the ball was lost, feeling a deep sense of grief and helplessness.

The ball symbolizes the boy’s childhood and innocence. Losing it represents the moment when one faces the first emotional loss in life. The poet does not believe in replacing the ball with a new one. Instead, he wants the boy to experience the pain and understand that loss is a part of life.

The poem ends on a philosophical note, stating that everyone eventually has to learn to accept and deal with loss because nothing lasts forever. The poet wants the boy to grow emotionally and understand the value of possessions and experiences.

🌟 Central Idea

The poem reflects the idea that life is full of losses, and one must learn to accept and deal with them. It encourages emotional maturity by teaching that material things can be lost, but the lessons from such losses help us grow as individuals.

🎨 Poetic Devices Used

  • Symbolism: The ball symbolizes childhood, innocence, and personal attachments.
  • Imagery: Descriptions like “he senses first responsibility” and “rigid, trembling” create strong emotional visuals.
  • Enjambment: Sentences continue to the next line without punctuation for flow.
  • Personification: The ball is indirectly treated with emotional value.
  • Alliteration: “What, what is he to do?” – repetition of ‘w’ sound.

📚 Word Meanings

Word Meaning
RigidStiff or unmoving
GriefDeep sorrow or sadness
PossessionSomething one owns
ResponsibilityThe state of being accountable or mature
InevitableUnavoidable; certain to happen

❓ Important Questions and Answers

  1. Q1. What does the lost ball symbolize in the poem?
    Ans: The lost ball symbolizes the loss of innocence, childhood, and personal belongings that everyone faces in life.
  2. Q2. Why doesn't the poet offer the boy a new ball?
    Ans: The poet wants the boy to learn the emotional importance of loss and responsibility, which cannot be replaced by simply buying a new ball.
  3. Q3. What life lesson does the poem teach?
    Ans: The poem teaches that losses are inevitable and part of growing up. Learning to cope with them makes us emotionally stronger.
  4. Q4. How does the poet use a simple event to convey a deep message?
    Ans: By using the simple incident of a lost ball, the poet explores deep themes like maturity, grief, and life’s realities in an easy-to-understand way.

📥 Download PDF Notes

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📌 Tags: Class 10 English Poem 5, The Ball Poem Summary, John Berryman Poem, First Flight Notes, CBSE 2025, ToppersNoteHub

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