A Ballade of the Unborn Dead
The poem explores the theme of abortion and the consequences of terminating a pregnancy. It presents the perspective of the unborn child, who speaks from the womb, pleading with its mother to spare its life. The speaker argues that it has a right to exist and experience the world, and that its destruction would be a tragic loss.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1892 · Genre: Poetry, Gothic, Religious · 454 words
First lines
They walked the valley of the dead; Lit by a weird half light; No sound they made, no word they said; And they were pale with fright. Then suddenly from unseen places came Loud laughter, that was like a whip of flame.
They looked, and saw, beyond, above, A land where wronged souls wait; (Those spirits called to earth by love, And driven back by hate). And each one stood in anguish dumb and wild, As she beheld the phantom of her child.
What this Textopian page supports
A Ballade of the Unborn Dead is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1892 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1892 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Gothic, Religious, Psychological, Fantasy
- Length: 454 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Similar titles
- Spectres by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Ghosts by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- A Burial by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Ghosts by Emily Dickinson
- When I Hoped I Feared by Emily Dickinson
- The Hereafter by James Whitcomb Riley
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Gothic — The themes of death, the supernatural, and the eerie atmosphere are central to the narrative.
- Religious — The text references spiritual beings, the afterlife, and moral consequences, which are common in religious literature.
- Psychological — The work explores deep emotional and psychological states, particularly guilt and fear.
Tags
Death · Mortality · Afterlife · Spirituality · Philosophy · Poetry · Victorian Era · American Literature · 19th Century · Gothic · Dark Romanticism · Supernatural