Personification is the technique or practice of representing objects, qualities, etc. as humans, in art and literature. Poems, ‘The Brook’, ‘Song of the Rain’, and ‘Ode to Autumn’ are some famous examples of personification.

Metaphor is a word or phrase used to describe a person or something else in a way that is different from its normal use, in order to show that the two things have the same qualities and to make the description more powerful, for example ‘She has a heart of stone.’

The Ball Poem, written by John Berryman, is a poignant poem about the loss of childhood innocence and the harsh realities of growing up. The poem tells the story of a young boy who loses his ball and experiences the grief and pain of losing something that he loves. The poem is full of poetic devices that help to convey the emotions of the boy and the theme of the poem.

Metaphors
One of the most prominent poetic devices used in the Ball Poem is the metaphor. The ball is used as a metaphor for the innocence of childhood, and its loss symbolizes the loss of that innocence. This is seen in lines such as "the ball I lost, / when I was young? / Perhaps you know where it's gone" where the ball is a representation of something much deeper and more meaningful.

Imagery
The poem is also rich in imagery, with the use of sensory details to create vivid images in the reader's mind. For example, "a little black thing, / at the end of the hall, / a little black ball, / at the end of the hall" creates an image of a small, insignificant object that is lost and lonely.

Personification
Personification is another poetic device used in the Ball Poem, with the ball given human qualities such as "my little one, / you'll never play ball with me" which makes the ball seem more than just an object.

Repetition
Repetition is also used in the poem, with the line "I'll not have it again" repeated multiple times to emphasize the finality of the loss and the boy's realization that he cannot get his innocence back.

Theme
The theme of the poem is the loss of childhood innocence and the harsh realities of growing up. The boy's grief over losing his ball is a metaphor for the grief he will experience as he loses more and more of his childhood innocence as he grows up. The poem is a reminder that growing up is not always easy, and that there are losses along the way that cannot be undone.

In conclusion, the Ball Poem is a beautiful and poignant poem that uses a variety of poetic devices to convey the emotions of the boy and the theme of the poem. The use of metaphors, imagery, personification, and repetition all work together to create a powerful and memorable poem that speaks to the universal experience of growing up and the loss of childhood innocence.