John Ball and the revolting peasants (1381 C.E.)- a poem by Leo Hartshorn

John Ball
the man had balls!
and I don't mean children
hedge priest
preacher to the peasants
a revolting lot
a lot revolting
his sharp tongue
cut away the pre-tenses
of the intense clerics
slicing the heart
of a divided body
politic of rich and poor


It is from our labour
that they get the means
to maintain their estates
said Ball
as he rolled over
the elite like a boulder
tumbling words
crushing walls
that class-ify people

When Adam delft
and Eve span
who was then the gentleman?
questioning the nobility
his communication
caused his ex-communication
forbidden to preach
he didn't give a rip
as he ripped apart
the heart of inequity

while peasants revolted
with fists and fighting
Ball wrecked kingdoms
with his revolting words
drawn and quartered
then beheaded
the mad priest of Kent
to his reward went...
the Master's Ball