The Spook Ballads

This is a volume of ghost stories in verse by William Theodore Parkes. The poems in this volume are often humorous, and written in a parody of ye olde style of poetry.

"Dealing largely with ghosts and legends embracing a dash of diablerie such as would have been dear to the heart of Ingoldsby. There is a rugged force in 'The Girl of Castlebar' that will always make it tell in recitation; and even greater success in this direction has attended 'The Fairy Queen,' a story unveiling the seamy side, with quaint humour and stern realism. It is specially worthy of note that Mr. Parkes's skill in versification has received the warmest acknowledgment from those best qualified to appreciate the bright local coloring as well as the blending of fancy and fun."

By : William Theodore Parkes (1864 - 1908)

01 - Bohemians, Hail 02 - The Ghosts of Hampton Court 03 - Ye Filial Sacrafice 04 - Madame Stiffin's Ghost 05 - Sonnet on Parting 06 - His Bouquet 07 - The Girl of Castlebar 08 - The German Band 09 - Out of Plumb 10 - A Ward in the Chancerie 11 - The Fairy Queen 12 - The Devil in Richmond Park 13 - Saved 14 - A Most Remarkable Case 15 - A Tour to Svitzerland 16 - Joy! on Seeing a Flying Spring 17 - The Mate of the Mary Anne 18 - An Umbrella Case 19 - The Spook of Rotten Row 20 - The Magic Specs 21 - Ye Curious Tayle 22 - Leather Versus Law 23 - Heads and Tails 24 - The Colonel and the Cook 25 - The Spirit that held him down 26 - His Future State 27 - A Fight in the Phoenix Park 28 - An Abdicated Crown 29 - Tears in Law 30 - He Followed the Fox 31 - The Honest Young Cashier 32 - The Road to London 33 - Antediluvian Pat O'Toole 34 - The Lucky SIxpence 35 - A Wallflower Sonnet 36 - Paradoxical Words 37 - A Cantible on Music, Art and Law 38 - Woman's Tears 39 - Heraldic Fruits 40 - The Polis and the Princess Granauille 41 - A Horror of London Town 42 - A Confidential Sonnet 43 - A Tram Car Ghost 44 - Margate Sands 45 - John McKune 46 - I'll go for a Sojer 47 - Ode Here! 48 - The Smuggler's Fate 49 - The Late Fitz-Binks 50 - A Fugitive Kiss 51 - The Bedroom Curse 52 - A Gun Solo 53 - The Semi-Grand Piano 54 - Canticrank 55 - An Ill Wind Blew him Good 56 - A Kleptomaniac's Doom 57 - Caught in the Breach 58 - The Ghost of Hiram Smike 59 - Why did ye die? 60 - A Pretty Little Land I Know 61 - How they Enlist 62 - The Kindergarten Way