A ballad has a rhythmic bounce as spoken poems have been for many years sung ... If the first syllable is stressed, as for example in ‘ha-ppy’, but not the second, it is called a trochee.

Rick Lupert, a poet, songleader and graphic designer, is the author of 28 books including “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion.” Visit him at www.JewishPoetry.net ...

For example, the traditional New Year's ballad ... Burns was also a lover of scotch whisky, with many of his poems – such as Tam O'Shanter (1791) and John Barleycorn (1782) – praising ...