“Songs are not artistic.” Compared to some poetry, that statement can be very true. But looking deeper into the topic and looking at more songs and poetry, it will be observed that that is not always the case. Despite frequent belief, not all current, modern music is filled with unintellectual lyrics, especially those from the works of Twenty One Pilots. As a result of having a large quantity of metaphors, repetition, and complex layout, “Guns For Hands” by Twenty One Pilots is more artistic than “Life Is Fine” by Langston Hughes.
The poem “Life Is Fine” by Langston Hughes is a very literal poem, and is not as metaphorically driven as the song “Guns For Hands” by Twenty One Pilots. Prime example, the very first stanza in “Life Is Fine” has literal meanings. If Hughes wanted to be attention grabbing and get the interest of more people, he could have opened up with a metaphor. However Hughes decided against it and went with a very literal opening.
I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn’t,
So I jumped in and sank. (Hughes lines 1-6)
Another reason the song “Guns For Hands” is more metaphorically driven then the poem “Life Is
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Fine” is for the fact that the title “Guns For Hands” is a metaphor itself. “Guns For Hands” is a metaphor for having the ability to harm yourself and others at the palm of your hand, while “Life Is Fine” is a literal saying and talking about how good and fine life is. Writer’s Digest says “using images and metaphor effectively. At least great poetry and great lyrics share that in common” ("Lyric Writing V. Poetry." Writer's Digest. FW, 10 Nov. 2009. Web. 15 Jan. 2015.) which says how great poetry and lyrics use metaphors, which “Guns For Hands” does and “Life Is Fine” does not. The final reason that the song “Guns For Hands’ is more metaphorically driven than the poem “Life Is Fine” is because “Guns For Hands” throughout the entire song has metaphors, while “Life Is Fine” lacks them at all. Twenty One Pilots uses a variety of metaphors throughout the entirety of “Guns For Hands”, just like the majority of their songs. The final verse before the two last chorus’ is an example of this The solution is, I see a whole room of these mutant kids, Fused at the wrist, I simply tell them they should shoot at this, Simply suggest my chest and this confused music, It's obviously best for them to turn their guns to a fist. (Twenty One Pilots lines 46 - 49) The poem “Life Is Fine” by Langston Hughes lacks repetition throughout the entire poem, whereas the song “Guns For Hands” by Twenty One Pilots is seemingly centered around repetition. In the poem “Life Is Fine”, Hughes uses very little to none repetition. It can be very easy to assume from that point that Hughes wanted it like that or else there would have been more repetition prevalent in the poem. Writer’s Digest also comments on this too “Because a lyric is a sonic event (directed to the ear), rhyme is important, since it provides a roadmap for the ear; showing relationships between lines, creating forward motion, creating either stability or instability in sections, and telling the ear where sections end” ("Lyric Writing V. Poetry." Writer's Digest. FW, 10 Nov. 2009. Web. 15 Jan. 2015.). Following that, the song “Guns For Hands”, as stated before, is filled entirely of repetition. Whether from line to line, or a few words after some other words, repetition is there. Seeing as though it is a song, one must put that into consideration, the repetition lies within not only the chorus’ but the verses too. Lines 34 through 41 show this repetition. I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep, I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep, But I can't, but I can't when you all have, Guns for hands, yeah” “(hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,) (la, da, da, da, da).
( Lines 34 - 41)
Repetition is more prevalent in more artistic poems, and seeing as though it lacks in “Life Is Fine” shows how it isn’t that artistic. Most poems have significant repetition to show artistically the writer's ability, however the poem “Life Is Fine” lacks that repetition that would be typically shown. The verses show this just by looking at them, like through lines 14 through 22.
I stood there and I hollered!
I stood there and I cried!
If it hadn’t a-been so high
I might’ve jumped and died.
But it was High up there! It was
high! So since I’m still here livin’, I guess I will live on. I could’ve died for love— But for livin’ I was born. (Hughes lines 14 - 22) The poem “Life Is Fine” by Langston Hughes, while an excellent poem, has a basic layout compared to the song “Guns For Hands” by Twenty One Pilots. ‘Life Is Fine” has a very basic structure and layout compared to the song “Guns For Hands” by Twenty One Pilots. The rhyme scheme in “Life Is Fine” is extremely basic. Said rhyme scheme is a, b, c, b, d, e, f, e, just for the first two stanzas. Whereas in the song “Guns For Hands” there is a more complex layout with the rhyme scheme as a, b, c, c, d, e, f, g, h, g, i, i in the first two stanzas. The last verse in “Guns For Hands” before the final chorus’ are filled with immense rhymes and aside from that, it is almost like a free verse at the same time which causes it to be very complex. The writer of the song, Tyler Joseph, creates a variety of interesting ways to rhyme different words and the last verse is a great example that shows that. We've turned our hands to guns, trade in our thumbs for ammunition, I must forewarn you, of my disorder, or my condition, 'Cause when the sun sets, it upsets what's left of my invested interest, Interested in putting my fingers to my head, The solution is, I see a whole room of these mutant kids. ( lines 42 - 46 ) All of these reasonings put together shows why the song “Guns For Hands” by Twenty One Pilots is more artistic than the poem “Life Is Fine” by Langston Hughes. Due to the large quantity of metaphors, the amount of repetition, and the complex layout, the song “Guns For Hands” by Twenty One Pilots is more artistic than the poem “Life Is Fine” by Langston Hughes. Not saying that all poetry isn’t as artistic as “Guns For Hands”, but compared to “Life Is Fine”, “Guns For Hands” is artistically amazing.
Art is always a highly debated topic. What is art? What is artistic? Which is better poem or song? Music and poetry are both great ways to express artistic passion, and each have something a little different to from the other. Two greatly artistic pieces is the song “Chicken Fried” by Zac Brown Band, and the poem “Living Room” by david Yezzi. In this case, though it is a great piece, the song “Chicken Fried” by Zac Brown Band is not as artistic as the poem “Living Room” by David Yezzi. The use of similes, rhyme scheme, diction, symbolism, and just overall theme, truly makes “Living Room” the more artistic piece. Each have their pro’s and con’s, and each have powerful poetic devices, some more than others. Though both pieces have artistic grounds,
Both poems use repetition of phrases and anaphora to establish a pace for the speaker’s voice. The repeating syllables provide a pseudo-break in
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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, ...
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An excellent example of musical imagery that Hughes is famous for can be found in the author’s poem, “The Weary Blues”. In the first line the poet sets the tune, which is syncopate, then proceeds to give the beat of “rocking back and forth”. Hughes goes on to point toward the feeling of oppression by repeating synonyms of sad such as, “poor”, “moan”, “frowning” and “weary”, throughout the poem. Within the first three lines the author has implied a movement and a beat which suggests music and emotions. By doing this the reader is not only able to “hear” but also to “feel” the sadness of African Americans. Using only the art of language, Hughes merged the genres of art, poetry, and music
Symbolism embodies Hughes’ literary poem through his use of the river as a timeless symbol. A river can be portrayed by many as an everlasting symbol of perpetual and continual change and of the constancy of time and of life itself. People have equated rivers to the aspects of life - time, love, death, and every other indescribable quality which evokes human life. This analogy is because a river exemplifies characteristics that can be ultimately damaging or explicitly peaceable. In the poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” Langston Hughes cites all of these qualities.