A Ballade of Suicide by G.K. Chesterton
A Ballade of Suicide is a poem written by G.K. Chesterton that explores the theme of suicide. The poem begins with the speaker contemplating taking his own life and ends with him deciding not to do so. Throughout the poem, Chesterton uses vivid imagery and powerful language to convey the emotions and thoughts associated with suicidal ideation.
By G.K. Chesterton · First published 1915 · Genre: Poetry, Dark Comedy, Satire · 313 words
First lines
The gallows in my garden, people say, / Is new and neat and adequately tall.
I tie the noose on in a knowing way / As one that knots his necktie for a ball; / But just as all the neighbours -- on the wall -- / Are drawing a long breath to shout "Hurray!"
Similar titles
- Poor Devil by Stephen Vincent Benet
- Hymn Of Futility by C. J. Dennis
- Epitaph On A Bad Man by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
- A Song Of Defeat by G. K. Chesterton
- The Dance Of Death by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- A Cynic Looks At Life by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured as a ballade, a form of poetry with a specific rhyme scheme and meter.
- Dark Comedy — The poem humorously addresses the serious subject of suicide with a light-hearted and ironic tone.
- Satire — The poem satirizes societal norms and intellectual trends, using wit to critique them.
- Philosophical — The poem explores existential themes and the absurdity of life, prompting reflection on human motivations.
Tags
suicide · poetry · dark humor · existentialism · philosophy · life · death · despair · irony · melancholy · human condition · absurdity
What this Textopian page supports
A Ballade of Suicide is listed on Textopian as a poem by G.K. Chesterton, dated 1915 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: G.K. Chesterton
- Date: 1915 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Dark Comedy, Satire, Philosophical
- Length: 313 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Ballade of Suicide by G.K. Chesterton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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