The Ball Poem is a very symbolic poem with many hidden meanings and ideas. If we simply read the poem, we find that it is about a child who has lost a ball and is quite sad because he was attached to it. The poet feels useless to buy him a new ball because money cannot buy emotions which the young boy had with the ball.

If we go deeper into the poem, we find that the poem is about accepting the harsh realities of life and move on. The poet suggests that every person in the world has his possessions which he loved. But someday we have to lose them. Hence we should be read to face that moment and move on. This is the maturity. A person who can move on can sustain on earth and live a better life.

When we go more deep into the poem, we find that it is biographical in nature. The poet is actually talking about himself. The young boy nobody else but poet and the ball represents his father who committed suicide when the poet was 11 years old. The poet is depressed because money cannot bring back his dead father. However he tries to move on.

But the poet also accepts the fact that the memories of his father always remain his mind. He often feels dilemma. He does not know whether he should cry for his father or move on.

Read summary of this poem.