A ball is not very expensive. A new ball is not that difficult to obtain. However, the poet wants the youngster to realize that losing things is a normal part of life. "The Ball Poem" appears to be a simple narrative about a small child who loses his ball. But it also alludes to the fact that even kings lose their balls (or crowns) and have to work hard to get others instead. Here are the main characters and their roles in the ball poem: Earl Godwin - The child's name suggests that he is a young lord. He is described as blond and beautiful, which makes him similar to a prince. In fact, he is the son of a duke, so he is a nobleman. Even though he is a child, he is able to see the king playing sports and invites him to play too. This shows that he is generous and willing to help those who are less fortunate than he is. King Edward - The king plays an important role in the ball poem. He is described as handsome and strong, which means that he is a real leader. He wins the game against Earl Godwin's son by hitting a ball with his sword after removing some weeds from around it. This shows that he is capable of winning even if nobody else can do anything about it. Young Lord - The youngster is supposed to be eight years old.