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Can Songs be Considered A Form of Modern Day Poetry? Yes. The youth of today are more likely to have a favourite song rather than a favourite poem. Although the feelings and hidden meanings expressed in songs are often unacknowledged by the listener, they often have qualities that resemble those of a typical poem. These qualities include word choice, mood, hidden meanings and imagery. Using the songs “Luka” by Suzanne Vega, and “April Come She Will” by Simon and Garfunkle, I am going to prove that songs can be considered a form of modern day poetry. To indulge the reader, poets can use contradictory language and specific word choice to contrast the themes of the poem thus creating a particular mood. Suzanne Vega demonstrates this in the song “Luka”: Verse 1 My name is Luka I live on the second floor I live upstairs from you Yes I think you’ve seen me before The impression created in verse 1 is that of a typical “boy meets girl” theme. This is motivated by the pleasant, happy music and the lyrics indicating a girl meeting a boy. As the song continues, verse 2 indicates that their initial impression was incorrect: Verse 2 If you hear something late at night Some kind of trouble, some kind of fight Just don’t ask me what it was Just don’t ask me what it was Just don’t ask me what it was The music continues to be pleasant, which contrasts to the bad vibe given off by the lyrics in verse 2. The songwriter is using contrasting themes which is a technique often used in poems. The repetition of “Just don’t ask me what it was” encourages familiarity for the listener as, because it is repeated, it is what the listener remembers about the song. Furthermore, it adds more emphasis to the indication that ... ... middle of paper ... ... been related to months and seasons maybe because the hidden message of the song is that love is a never-ending cycle (like the seasons). This would indicate that love will inevitably die, but be reborn again, perhaps in the form of someone else or with the same person. This then could lead to the theory that this song was written to be compatible with everything that is loved i.e. a new job, new friend etc and that it often deteriorates through familiarity. Such depth in a song compares to the depth of a poem in terms of the hidden meanings and imagery. I believe that songs can be considered a form of modern day poetry as they often effectively use poetic techniques such as repetition, imagery, contrasting themes, effective word choice and climaxes. The two songs that I have discussed clearly possess and demonstrate these qualities and how effective they are.
In the first stanza, first line; I saw two trees embracing, this means that there is a couple that is in love. In the second and third line we see that the male is weaker “one leaned on the other, as if to throw her down” and in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh line we notice that the female has the strength, willpower and is dominating. In the second stanza, line one, two and three we see that the female being dominant makes the male feel broken and intimidated. In line four “the most wind-warped, you could see”, hear we see that there is a major problem between the two.
The song does have good rhyme scheme, which is a very important poetic element. Zac Brown band writes, “Well I was raised up beneath the shade of a Georgia Pine / and that's home you know / sweet tea, pecan pie, and homemade wine, where the peaches grow…” (5-7). Every other line rhymes with the previous. This is a good poetic element to have, considering rhyme is commonly related to many great songs and poems. This does not make up for the lack of other poetic elements, and the simplicity of the writing. The differences between the two pieces is still very vass. The two pieces have two totally different objectives, which makes them have different writing styles. Claire Dederer writes “Song lyrics do a fine imitation of poetry, but they’re not quite the same thing. Lyrics are a vessel, designed to hold a singer’s voice. Poetry is its own solid object” (Bad Poem, Great Song). To some, the dilemma is cut and dry, songs just can’t be poetry.
Charlotte Lennox’s opinion towards love is expressed clearly in her piece “A Song.” The poem’s female speak...
When I read poetry, I often tend to look first at its meaning and second at how it is written, or its form. The mistake I make when I do this is in assuming that the two are separate, when, in fact, often the meaning of poetry is supported or even defined by its form. I will discuss two poems that embody this close connection between meaning and form in their central use of imagery and repetition. One is a tribute to Janis Joplin, written in 1983 by Alice Fulton, entitled “You Can’t Rhumboogie in a Ball and Chain.” The second is a section from Walt Whitman’s 1,336-line masterpiece, “Song of Myself,” first published in 1855. The imagery in each poem differs in purpose and effect, and the rhythms, though created through repetition in both poems, are quite different as well. As I reach the end of each poem, however, I am left with a powerful human presence lingering in the words. In Fulton’s poem, that presence is the live-hard-and-die-young Janis Joplin; in Whitman’s poem, the presence created is an aspect of the poet himself.
Music is regarded as a method of passing a message. Though some songs do not intend to do that, the message in them is still perceived. The song, “Get up, ...
Michael Gray’s analysis of Dylan’s lyrics being a contrast between hackneyed expressions and “beautifully done” are exemplified in the song “Just Like a Woman.” Dylan’s lyrics “she aches just like a woman but she breaks just like a little girl” is given the harsh description of “maudlin platitude” and deemed to be a “non-statement.” If Dylan’s lyrics cannot uphold against meaningful music of the same category, how can they be expected to stand against literature written for a different field. John Lennon had his own critiques of Dylan’s works, calling out how the abstract nature of his lyrics, having loose definition, never achieved an actual point. Lennon’s definition of “poetry” referred to “stick[ing] a few images together” and “thread[ing] them” in order to create something meaningful. It once again boils down to the fact that Dylan’s music that was written and intended to be received as a live performance. The acknowledgement that “…you have to hear Dylan doing it” is a recognition of his composition’s failure to come across as a normal literary work. It’s all part of a “good game.” This in itself should disqualify Dylan as a possible candidate for the Nobel Prize.
How do poetic devices affect a song? In the song "It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas" there are many poetic devices that can be found throughout it. Poetic devices describe how in this case a song is formed. The three poetic devices that are included in this song are imagery, rhymes, and repetition. These three poetic devices are elements that make the song a stronger piece because of there definition.
In today’s modern view, poetry has become more than just paragraphs that rhyme at the end of each sentence. If the reader has an open mind and the ability to read in between the lines, they discover more than they have bargained for. Some poems might have stories of suffering or abuse, while others contain happy times and great joy. Regardless of what the poems contains, all poems display an expression. That very moment when the writer begins his mental journey with that pen and paper is where all feelings are let out. As poetry is continues to be written, the reader begins to see patterns within each poem. On the other hand, poems have nothing at all in common with one another. A good example of this is in two poems by a famous writer by the name of Langston Hughes. A well-known writer that still gets credit today for pomes like “ Theme for English B” and “Let American be American Again.”
The overall proposition of this song is love, yet the band expresses their love by promising to get their love anything they want. This relates to Joey Stark in the book Their Eyes Were Watching God. Joey gives Janie basically anything she wants and tells her that he will show her the world. When Joe first meets Janie he tells her “A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo’self and eat p’taters dat other folks plant just special for you." Joe explains that he will do anything for her because he loves her. He tells her that she is meant to kick her feet up and relax while someone does the work for her. That’s why I chose the song Say you don’t want it because the band is expressing love by giving the girl that they love anything she wants. In the music video of the song the main singer finds this woman and take her around the city. He buys her food new clothes and eventually at the end they realize they love each other. It connects to joe starks in the beginning of the story promising Janie that she can have everything
A famous quote from Max De Pree states: "We cannot become what we want by remaining who we are." Whatever it be, people need to grow, make decisions, and persevere; going against the odds and obstacles that get in their way, in order to reach their potential, find their calling, and ultimately find themselves. The road is often difficult, but certainly worthwhile. Struggles, setbacks, failure and regret are often encountered. However, it is the drive for "more", or the "making of a name", whatever that may look like, that pushes people to reach for things they thought not possible. This theme is portrayed throughout Tennyson's famous "Ulysses" and Eminem's Oscar winning song, "Lose Yourself." When comparing the written work of Tennyson to the lyrics by Eminem, it becomes apparent that age, race, class, or profession mean nothing when it comes to "making a name." "Ulysses" and "Lose Yourself" exhibit characters looking for significant growth and change; something bigger and better than what their current life has offered them.
In todays society poetry is all around us, we use it in music to deliver messages to the average radio listener. According to SelectUSA (The creative Media industry in the United States) The United States music industry in 2011 reached 15.2 billion dollars. With the information given a person can tell that a lot of time and money goes into music in today’s society. The music people listen to have many different elements that an average listener would not pick up. Many songs have poetic techniques that give great meaning to the song that makes the song unique. The song I Love the way you Lie by Eminem and Rihanna and the song Airplanes by B.o.B are similar in ways they use poetic devises and how the over all message of the two songs can relate to the average person that listen to the song.
The last stanza is about the father show the kid the beat to dance to, drawing attention to his dirt caked palms. This stanza gives the reader a sense of hope, showing that the father has been educational to the son, not just destructive. In the end the father brings the son to bed, while the son still clings to his shirt. The last line shows that the son has always tried to keep the father close throughout their relationship, even though both instances he can only hold on by his
There is also a standard structure in this poem, with the second and last line of each stanza shorter than the other two. It uses half-rhyme, creating an "a, b, a, b" rhyme scheme which adds speed to the entire poem. This, in turn, re-emphasises the fact that time is ticking away and we need to make the best out of our youth and regret not in the future. I find this second poem easier to grasp, mainly due to the references and comparisons to tangible things. I guess the subject matter also appeals more to me, as the subject matter in "Song" gives me an impression that from the physical love he is looking for in the girl, he is not serious about her. As for "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time", it is purer, warning readers to be more careful in what one does with his youth.
From the first stanza of this song, you get put into a scene. You know almost immediately that it is about someone, and it is the middle of December, but without stating the obvious, it paints a more illustrated picture for you. The first line states, “A winters day, in a deep and dark December” and I could almost immediately feel a cool breeze around me. When I normally think of a winter’s day, I think of people playing in the snow, and having a good time. This may be because I grew up in Southern California where there has been a lack of snow, but in my head, that is what I imagine. Having them state, in a deep and dark December, turns my attitudes to the more pessimistic way of looking at things. The image of children playing in the snow in my head has now turned to cold and dark emptiness. Reinstating my idea of emptiness, the next line follows with the simply statement, “I am alone”. Personally, I hate being alone. So to have the opening words place us in a deep and dark setting, and then state that you are alone, automatically puts me in a negative mindset.
Lyrics have been transformed almost completely into a colloquial text language where words are shortened, and hold nearly any literary techniques. A writer, William Briggs said “Nowadays, we are told we are surrounded by genius. When critics are presented with less, they find more to praise.” This an accurate comment when critics are comparing the band One Direction to that of the musically ...