25 Ballad Poems That Will Make You Cry, Laugh, or Swoon

Hi, Friend! Jen Glantz here. I’m a bestselling author, the first ever bridesmaid for hire and have been hired by hundreds of brides all over the world. Let’s talk about ballad poem examples.

Ballads have been around since the late Middle Ages—we’re talking 14th-century Europe—when traveling minstrels used them to entertain crowds (shout out to LitCharts for the history lesson). I actually stumbled down this rabbit hole while frantically Googling for a reading for my best friend’s rehearsal dinner. I wanted something that told a story but didn’t sound like a dry textbook. Turns out, I was looking for a ballad all along.

Whether you’re hunting for a non-cheesy wedding toast, trying to survive an English lit assignment, or you just appreciate a story with a good beat, this guide has you covered. At its core, a ballad is just a narrative set to rhythm. Below, I’ve pulled together a list of examples that actually fit real-life occasions.

Quick Resources:

• Turn poems into polished toasts with the AI Wedding Speech Generator

• Explore the full suite of planning help in All Wedding Tools

The Cheat Sheet (TL;DR)

In a rush? Here’s the breakdown of what makes a ballad a ballad, so you can spot one in the wild.

• It’s a story first. Ballads aren’t just about abstract feelings; they have a beginning, middle, and end.

• It has a beat. The traditional “ballad meter” alternates between four-beat and three-beat lines. It’s catchy and easy to memorize.

• Context is key. Please don’t read a tragic murder ballad at a wedding. Match the emotion to the event.

• Brevity wins. Modern attention spans are short. If you pick an epic, consider reading just a few stanzas.

• It ranges from Burns to Cohen. The list below covers everything from old-school Robert Burns to modern lyrics by Leonard Cohen.

Feature	Description	Why It Matters
Narrative Focus	Tells a distinct story with plot points.	Keeps people listening because they want to know what happens next.
Ballad Meter	Alternating 4-beat and 3-beat lines.	Gives it that musical, sing-song quality.
Stanza Form	Usually written in quatrains (four-line chunks).	A predictable structure that’s easy to follow.
Rhyme Scheme	Typically ABCB (lines 2 and 4 rhyme).	It just sounds satisfying when you hear it.

If you’re still confused, just remember: A ballad is basically a story that feels like a song.

Turn a narrative poem into a natural toast using the AI Wedding Speech Generator

Vibe Check: How to Choose the Right Poem

Before you commit to a reading, you need to make sure the mechanics work for you. A ballad isn’t just any old poem; it has a specific engine under the hood. Here are four things I check before recommending a piece for a speech or a toast.

Does it Tell a Story?

If nothing happens in the poem, it’s probably not a ballad. It’s likely a lyric poem. Always check for a clear plot. If you’re picking a piece for a speech, make sure the story in the poem mirrors the occasion—like a journey of two people coming together or overcoming a hurdle.

Can You Dance to It? (The Rhythm)

Traditional ballads have a “gallop” to them. You really need to read it aloud to see if it suits your speaking style. Sometimes that sing-song quality is catchy; other times, it can sound a little too much like a nursery rhyme for a serious moment.

Visualizing Ballad Meter:
Tap your foot. A standard ballad stanza usually flows like this (stressed syllables are in bold):

The wind blew high, the wind blew cold, (4 beats)
It blew a cross the moor, (3 beats)
When down the west the sun did set, (4 beats)
And dark ness wrapped the door. (3 beats)

Read the Room (The Emotion)

Ballads cover the whole spectrum of human experience, from gut-wrenching tragedy to sappy romance. You have to figure out the “vibe” before you commit. A folk song about a ghost haunting her lover? Probably not the right energy for a wedding toast.

Keep It Short

A lot of famous ballads are long. Like, really long. Since nobody wants to listen to a 10-minute poem during a toast, consider grabbing an excerpt. You want to leave them wanting more, not checking their watches.

Shape poems into perfectly timed speeches with the AI Wedding Speech Generator

If you need something punchy, browse through some short poem examples. Sometimes less is more.

The Ultimate List of 25 Ballad Poems

I’ve broken these down by category so you can skip straight to the stuff that actually applies to you.

Romance & Weddings

These are focused on devotion and beauty. If you need something for a ceremony or an anniversary, start here.

1. “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns

The classic. Burns compares love to a fresh rose and a sweet melody. It’s musical, easy to understand, and totally timeless.

2. “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe

Poe writes a haunting piece about a love that even death can’t stop. It’s beautiful, but maybe save the tragic ending for a literature class rather than a wedding.

3. “She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron

Technically a lyric poem, but it shares the ballad’s meter and narrative appreciation. It flows like water and makes for a killer toast to a partner.

4. “The Owl and the Pussycat” by Edward Lear

A nonsense poem about an unlikely couple getting hitched. It’s bouncy, fun, and great if you have kids involved in the reading.

Poem Title	Best Occasion	The Vibe
A Red, Red Rose	Weddings, Vows	Devoted & Sweet
Annabel Lee	Literature Class	Haunting & Intense
She Walks in Beauty	Toasts, Anniversaries	Admiring & Gentle
The Owl and the Pussycat	Funny Toasts	Whimsical & Fun

Write a wedding-ready toast inspired by these poems using the AI Wedding Speech Generator

The Classroom Classics

These are the heavy hitters. You’ll probably run into these in a textbook, but they’re famous for a reason.

If you’re studying structure, looking at narrative poem examples can help you see how the story comes together.

5. “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The ultimate ballad. A sailor shoots an albatross and things get weird. It’s epic, supernatural, and complex.

6. “The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Tennyson tells the tragic story of a cursed woman stuck in a tower. It’s incredibly musical and repetitive—great for getting lost in the imagery.

7. “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats

A knight meets a mysterious faery woman who leaves him desolate. A classic Romantic era piece with a slow, haunting rhythm.

8. “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes

A thriller about an outlaw, an innkeeper’s daughter, and a tragic sacrifice. The galloping beat makes it really fun to read aloud.

Folk & Traditional Roots

These are the O.G. ballads—songs passed down orally before anyone wrote them down.

9. “Barbara Allen” (Anonymous)

A man dies of a broken heart, and the woman who rejected him dies of regret. Simple, sad, and essential to the genre.

10. “Lord Randal” (Anonymous)

A dialogue between a mother and her poisoned son. It works great as a performance with two readers, though the old dialect can be a tongue twister.

Pro Tip on Dialect:
When reading old stuff like Lord Randal, don’t feel like you have to fake an accent. It’s totally fine to modernize the pronunciation so people actually understand you.

Adapt classic poems for modern audiences with the AI Wedding Speech Generator

• Original: “O where hae ye been, Lord Randal, my son?”

• Modern: “Oh where have you been, Lord Randal, my son?”

11. “Sir Patrick Spens” (Anonymous)

A Scottish ballad about a sailor sent on a doomed voyage by the King. A staple in history classes.

12. “The Three Ravens” (Anonymous)

Scavenger birds discuss eating a fallen knight. It’s dark humor from the Middle Ages.

Modern & Socially Conscious

Ballads aren’t stuck in the past. These modern examples use the form to pack a punch.

13. “Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall

A heartbreaking narrative about the 1963 church bombing. The simple rhythm makes the tragedy hit even harder.

14. “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks

Short, jazz-influenced, and brilliant. It implies a whole narrative through syncopated rhythm.

15. “The Ballad of the Harp-Weaver” by Edna St. Vincent Millay

A magical story about a mother sacrificing herself to weave clothes for her son. It’s a tear-jerker, often used for Mother’s Day.

16. “The Ballad of the Landlord” by Langston Hughes

Hughes uses a punchy rhythm to discuss systemic inequality and a tenant’s frustration. It’s powerful stuff.

Funny & Character-Driven

Poetry doesn’t have to be serious. These are just good fun.

17. “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer

The famous story of a baseball hero striking out. It has an upbeat rhythm that’s perfect for a lighthearted crowd.

18. “The Cremation of Sam McGee” by Robert W. Service

A dark comedy about a freezing prospector in the Yukon. The rhyme scheme is so strong it practically reads itself.

19. “The Walrus and the Carpenter” by Lewis Carroll

A nonsensical story about oysters getting eaten. It’s whimsical and weird in the best way.

20. “Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll

Even with the made-up words, it follows the structure of a hero slaying a beast perfectly.

Lyrics That Are Actually Poetry

Since ballads started as songs, the line between “poem” and “lyric” is blurry. These bridge the gap.

21. “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen

A modern masterpiece exploring love, faith, and failure. It’s a waltz, a poem, and a prayer all in one.

22. “Amazing Grace” by John Newton

Written in common meter, this is the quintessential hymn. If you want to know what a ballad sounds like in church, this is it.

The “Gilligan’s Island” Trick:
Okay, this sounds ridiculous, but try it. Because many ballads share the same “Common Meter,” you can often swap the tunes. Try singing Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death” to the theme song of Gilligan’s Island or The Yellow Rose of Texas. If it fits, it’s a true ballad meter!

23. “Because I could not stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson

Dickinson was the queen of ballad meter. This poem narrates a carriage ride with Death and is surprisingly peaceful.

24. “Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson

The story of a wealthy man who seems to have it all but is secretly miserable. A great reminder that you never know what someone is going through.

25. “Miniver Cheevy” by Edwin Arlington Robinson

A portrait of a guy who wishes he had been born in the medieval times. It’s a character study set to a traditional beat.

Lyrical Ballad	Musical Connection	Core Theme
Hallelujah	Waltz Time (3/4 Signature)	Faith & Broken Love
Amazing Grace	Common Meter	Redemption
Because I could not stop for Death	Common Meter	Mortality
Richard Cory	Steady 4-beat Rhythm	Wealth vs. Happiness

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When You’re Totally Stuck

You might be reading this list because you have a speech to write, a vow to finalize, or a ceremony to plan. Ballads are stories, and a wedding is basically the climax of a great story. But let’s be real—finding the right words is stressful.

If you’re staring at a blank page and panicking, you don’t have to do it alone. Bridesmaid for Hire offers professional speech and vow writing services. Whether you want funny, sentimental, or a mix of both, Jen Glantz and the team can help you get the words out of your head and onto the paper.

Create your full speech in minutes with the AI Wedding Speech Generator

If you want to try it yourself first, check out our wedding speech examples to see how a poem can fit into a toast.

Final Thoughts

Ballads are a unique way to capture a moment, tell a story, and evoke emotion all at once. Whether you go with a 300-year-old classic or a modern song lyric, the right poem can elevate your speech from “just okay” to unforgettable. Take the time to read them aloud, feel the rhythm, and choose the one that actually speaks to you.

Now that you know what you’re looking for, go ahead and pick your favorite. Let the story unfold.