It's important to note that while it's often called a "poem," it's actually a musical piece, with lyrics that tell a story and express emotions. The song's popularity in the blues tradition highlights its focus on hardship, loss, and social commentary, common themes in blues music.
Here's why it aligns with both blues and folk ballad characteristics:
* Blues elements: The song uses a repetitive structure and bluesy chord progressions (often found in 12-bar blues). It focuses on the hardships faced by the speaker (a cotton farmer) due to the boll weevil infestation. The emotional weight of the lyrics and the song's overall somber tone also fit within the blues tradition.
* Folk ballad: The story-telling nature of the lyrics, with a focus on a specific event (the boll weevil infestation) and its impact on the speaker's life, is characteristic of folk ballads. The song also reflects a sense of shared experience and cultural context, which are common themes in folk ballads.
While it's not strictly a poem, the song's lyrical content and the emotional impact it creates make it a powerful piece of storytelling, similar to a poem in its ability to evoke feelings and connect with the audience.