McClure1

Victoria McClure Ms. Jessie Carty English 1101.70 29 October 2013 Lyrics and Poetry: Similar or Different? Both? Genre is defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as a category of artistic, musical,
or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content. When I was asked what I thought genre was, the first thought that came to mind was the numerous different types of music. But as the class continued, I learned that many things can be considered a type of genre and that there are countless sub-genres within a single category. For example, one type of genre that was mentioned during a class video games; who would have ever thought to consider a video game as a type of genre? Upon discovering this, the thought of song lyrics and poetry came to mind almost immediately. If a video could be a type of genre, I figured lyrics and poetry could be too; and to take it one step further, why not analyze the two? Even though many things can be considered a type of genre, one of the ones that stuck out to me the most was poetry. Poetry has been around since the ancient times. Unlike the standard form of writing, poetry utilizes rhyme, repetition, symbolic meanings and rhythmic patternsthis set it apart from all other forms of literature. Poetry in the literary sense appears in many places; it can be used as advertisements to catch the potential consumers attention or entertain a child by nursery rhyme or a rhyme book. It is usually transmitted though posters or other different types of visual representation. It can also be displayed verbally through television or radio advertisements. There are often events where people get on stage and read poems aloud for entertainment or to express their emotions freely. Poetry can be used to

McClure2
address many questions and ides; it covers virtually everything from heartbreak, revenge, and death to love, joy, and free expression. I do believe however that some things must be known beforehand in order to comprehend poetry. It would be helpful for the reader to understand dynamic symbolism and imagery since those are some of the main components that a poet will utilize in their writings. Poetry is used by basically everyone; adults can use poetry as a means of expression, to tell a story, or as a form of entertainmentchildren can also do the same through less complex versions such as nursery rhymes that tell stories and teach moral values. Personally, poetry has always found a way to get under my skin. Ever since I have been in school, poetry always seems to be a must-have in English class. I absolutely dreaded when the teacher would announce that we would be going over and analyzing poems. I think they frustrated me because I couldnt understand why the author wouldnt just say what they wanted to say rather than making everyone bicker back and forth and try to debate what they think it means. I am a very logic-based person and for something to have more than one answer that can either be right or wrong always annoyed, yet intrigued me. I remember in class one day when we went over Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken. I honestly have never pulled apart a poem so much in my entire life. I initially found the whole assignment pointless. Although, as much as I hated to admit it, I learned a lot that day from analyzing and dissecting that poemmore than I thought I would. From that day forward, I learned to appreciate poetry more and I gained a sense of respect for the authors that took the time and effort to utilize their creativity. Another type of genre that I found interesting, but more enjoyable, was music or more specifically song lyrics. Forms of music have also been around since the earliest of times. Music appears in many different aspects; it appears in many things such as

McClure3
advertisements, movies, internet, public places, grocery stores, and restaurants. Music is usually used as entertainment or to convey feelings. Music and songs interact with many things get people to feel a certain way. For example, if a horror film was playing there would most likely be intense and eerie music playing to get the audience to feel the emotion that the writer was trying to get across in the scene. Different types of music alone do that for people whether the artist is looking for sympathy or trying to motivate the audience. Music also covers a wide variety of topics that can range to virtually anything. Different types of music are meant for different audiences; obviously, the rougher, more contemporary music is meant for the younger generations while the older style of music is meant for the older generations. Ever since I can remember, music has always been a part of my life. I grew up listening to all sorts of music. In elementary school, music was my favorite class of the weekI was even in the drum circle where a small group of hand selected students were chosen to perform pieces on authentic African drums to the school and various local events. In middle and high school I was a part of the chorus where we traveled to compete against other groups and we had seasonal performances. While I loved listening, performing, and playing music, the part I have found most fascinating was the lyrics. I love to see how the words tie in with the beat and how makes you feel a certain emotion you cant always put into wordshence the purpose of the song. To me, music can help motivate you, make you happy, or bring you up when youre feeling down. Music always seems to help me in different situations and it gets me thinking on a completely different level. There are many factors that distinguish music/lyrics from poetry. Since poetry is essentially meant for the eye, the author has to consider rhyme scheme and structure while composing the piece. An author usually depends on the fact that the reader can

McClure4
go back and look the poem over again and again and pick up on the cues to understand what he or she is trying to portray. Cues the author can use can include rhyming pattern and sentence structure that place emphasis on certain parts of the poem that make the reader come back and think about the deeper meaning beneath the text. The authors can also use the format or shape of the lines themselves to create tension and other emotions such as suspense that could not otherwise be created in a song. While lyrics and poems can be considered similar, they do vary in several ways. Obviously, music and lyrics are directed towards the ear rather than the eye since music and lyrics are most commonly heard rather than seen. Artists depend on rhythm and rhyme more than poets do since the sound has to be fluent, understandable, and appealing. Artists or lyricists also depend on consistency and repetition since most songs contain a chorus that is repeated and usually carries important meaning as the song progresses through the verses; the verses also have to progress in some way to create meaning for the song. A song can create confusion among people as they listen because they are not solely concentrated on the lyrics as distractions are created through the instrumental sounds and other tasks since the audience is not as engaged as if they were reading it word for word. The actual music behind the lyrics can create an entirely new meaning behind the words and allows the composer to make the audience feel what he or she intended more easily. Lyricists also have a limited space to work with being that the average song is about three minutes long whereas a poem can be as long as the poet desires. The relationship between music and poetry can be just as alike as they are different; this can be shown in the situation concerning ballads. A ballad is a short poem or song that narrates a story in short stanzas and is usually passed down orally. A ballad can be read independently and then read aloud and the audience can usually

McClure5
see that it tends to sound as if it could be sung. Many of the traditional hymns are written in common meter which is a pattern where the stanzas have four lines that contain eight and six syllables that alternate rhyming schemes from one line to the next. Common meter is identical to the stanzas of ballads that are four and three line stresses that alternate and usually only the second and fourth lines rhyme in an alternating pattern. Many poems, not just ballads, can be sung; some more easily than others. Many famous poets such as William Shakespeare and Walt Whitman have actually had their poems set to music. Langston Hughes has also been known to write for musical theatres. Lyrics to songs are not the only thing that was performed with music in the background. In earlier times, poems were read aloud in public places with subtle music playing to help convey the tone of the piece which has now led to today and how poems are read in places like coffee houses with music playing in the background. Lyrics and poetry share many qualities and also differ in many aspects as well. While I sometimes find poetry as a creative and beautiful way to express oneself, I also find it frustrating since they are not always literal in conveying the meaning behind the text. Personally, listening to music and reading back over the lyrics in the right context has helped me to better understand and comprehend what the author is trying to expose in poetry. Music is such a flexible form of expression and communication because there is so many different sub-genres that almost anyone can identify with; the same applies with poetry. One instance that illustrated this for me was when I was in my twelfth grade English class and we were handed the lyrics to Carrie Underwoods song Blown Away. We were told to analyze the lyrics without listening to the music. It seemed pointless since everyone obviously knew the song by heart, but as I began to read through the

McClure6
lyrics, it almost looked like a poemthe way it was set up and the way it was read. I discovered so much subliminal meaning beneath the song just by reading the lyrics. You can learn so much by reading the lyrics without the background music; while at the same time I believe it is important to listen to the words with music because it has a different effect compared to just reading it. I didnt believe this until I had done it for myself and I learned so much because of it. Whether they are seen as two separate entities or the same, both genres are effective at reaching a wide range of audiences making it easy for people of all ages and backgrounds to communicate and relate to each other. They can both be utilized separate or together to illustrate ideas and to make you empathize with the author/writer. I think they are used differently in order to reach as many people as possible in a way that they can personally relate themselves to it and in a way that is appealing to them.