He wore no scarlet coat that day,
For blood and wine had marked the way,
And in his hands the darkness lay,
Where death had come to softly stay.
The sun shone bright, yet he looked pale,
Upon the sky, his wistful sail,
A prisoner bound within a tale.
He walked among the weary men,
In shabby gray, step light again,
Yet hearts around him felt the pain.
The Ballad of Reading Gaol tells,
Of love destroyed where sorrow dwells,
Of every wound a soul compels.
Some kill with words, some with a glance,
Some turn from love, deny the chance,
Yet each must face their fateful dance.
The hangman waits with silent hand,
The rope swings high at strict command,
A life consumed by cruel demand.
Within the yard the shadows creep,
Where prisoners pray, and watchers weep,
And every stone recalls the deep.
He drank the air as though it healed,
The sun above its warmth revealed,
Though death awaited, unconcealed.
The gallows rose with alder root,
Its branches bare, a cruel fruit,
Yet still he faced the grim pursuit.
Each step he took was watched by all,
The Warders paced, the prisoners tall,
Yet he seemed free beyond the wall.
The Ballad of Reading Gaol mourns,
For broken hearts and silent thorns,
For life constrained by endless scorns.
Three long years the lime would burn,
Upon the ground, no seed to turn,
Yet hope, like roses, might still learn.
The child, the fool, the weak, the old,
All felt the prison’s iron cold,
Yet some hearts shattered, brave and bold.
Through every cell, despair did creep,
Through midnight’s dark, through twisted sleep,
The sorrow sown was wide and deep.
But Christ may come in broken heart,
Through pain and loss, a healing start,
A chance for souls to play their part.
The Ballad of Reading Gaol cries,
For every tear, for whispered sighs,
For justice seen through human eyes.
And he of purple throat, so worn,
Whose hands had held the knife that torn,
Found mercy as the day was born.
Yet laws are strong, yet walls are tall,
Yet even in the darkest hall,
The human heart may hear its call.
So let us hold the broken near,
And let the fallen know no fear,
For love may rise where death is clear.
Read More: https://truehymns.com/nikki-rosa/
“The Ballad of Reading Gaol” Summary
“The Ballad of Reading Gaol” by Oscar Wilde tells the story of a man sentenced to death for murdering a woman he loved. It explores the harsh realities of prison life, the pain of guilt, and the inevitability of punishment. Wilde reflects on human cruelty, justice, and the emotional suffering of prisoners, showing that sorrow and remorse touch all, regardless of age or status.
