 Poetry: May 30, 2007 Issue [#1743] |
  Poetry
This week: Edited by: Turkey DrumStik  
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And here is tonight's title bout. In the red corner is poetry. In the blue corner are lyrics.
Some people say poetry and lyrics go hand in hand. While lyrics do owe some thanks to poetry for their development, lyrics are different from poetry. In this issue, I'll be exploring some of the most notable differences between the two commonly linked forms of writing.
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In an age where the overall quality of music is sometimes considered questionable, the question of how lyrics fit into this puzzle becomes trickier to answer. Indeed, the music industry is not always kind to lyrics, as they're cranked out of little factories and sold like candy to pop producers. Those bubblegum lyrics steal light away from more substaintial verses not heard because they're not in the right venue. Listeners disgusted with the current pop lyrics turn to the works of singer-songwriters, sometimes calling those songwriters poets. Is that an accurate distinction to make? We can only answer that question by looking at structural aspects that separate poetry and lyrics. When looking at these aspects, we must also consider one important factor: the audience, since poetry and lyrics often cater to different audiences.
Like poetry, lyrics contain melodies (but we'll call them melodic lines in a lyrical context). However, there are different types of melodic lines in lyrics. These lines are the verse, bridge and chorus. Some songwriters will say all three should be in a song. After many years of listening to music, I can tell you this is not always the case, depending on the genre of music. For example, lyrical bridges are not common in heavy metal, while house music skimps on verses. So...what makes up these three melodic lines? Let's take a look.
VERSE- This line is where the meat of the lyrics is presented. If a song is meant to be narrative, this melodic line is the exposition component. The musical melody itself is supposed to stay the same in this line. However, the songwriter has the challenge of creating verses that sound fresh even if the same melody is being used. The easiest way to do that is to change up the rhymes a little bit. Here are the first stanzas from the first and second verses from "Friday the 13th" (an original composition).
Walking under ladders
with a black cat in tow,
I have four hours
thirteen minutes to go.
As I stride into the foyer
past the hall of smashed mirrors,
I wander past the office
of the source of our crisis.
While there are some minor rhythm variations between the two stanzas, the verses maintain the same basic rhythm.
BRIDGE- The name of this melodic line explains its function: to transition from the verse to the chorus (or to another verse). This line is the trickiest to handle, namely because it is not usually manifest in a lyrical form. If it is, it tends to be seen more in pop music. Here's a section from Ace of Base's "Living in Danger" with the bridge in orange font.
You're living your life in peace and in harmony
You making your own decisions
That's how it's got to be for you and me
So many people are running around and 'round
Without no sense of logic
I see li-es
In the eyes of a stranger
Woah
You'll be living in danger
I see li-es
In the eyes of a stranger
Woah
You'll be living in danger
I see li-es
In the eyes of a stranger
Woah
You'll be living in danger
Bridges are not very long, usually only a line or two in length. This is because the melody is not intended to be very long, although this setion tends to be subject to more creative license than the other two.
CHORUS- Of all the melodic lines, this is the one most people will remember. Why? There is no change in either the lyrics or the melody. Since it is repeated numerous times in a song, listeners will learn it quickly. This is why in some genres (especially religious music) it is called the refrain. The chorus is the summation of the song's topic in a stanza or two. A great example of this comes from "Man on the Corner" by Genesis (my lyrical heroes).
See the lonely man there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know,
But he waits everyday now.
He's just waiting for something to show.
Now that you have the three melodic lines used in lyrics, the next step is considering the order in which they're placed. Most songs opt for a verse-bridge-chorus format. However, some use the verse-chorus format, the verse-chorus-bridge format or the verse-bridge-verse-verse format. In a couple cases, I have heard songs that start off with a bridge. The point is, the placement of these melodic lines is where you can get creative. That said, the key is that the rhythm for each melodic line should stay the same. There can be augmentations and croppings, but to introduce a completely new rhythm will throw listeners in for a loop, a loop that's not always welcome. After all, not all people who listen to music do so without any additional stimuli interfering with their listening experiences. Likewise, many are not educated in the musical realm to fully appreciate the so-called innovative features in your lyrics. With poetry readers, the audience members are more likely versed enough in the craft to comprehend any drastic changes in structure.
Of course, like with poetry, the rules of lyrics can be broken. The big difference between poetry and lyrics is that you're not as likely to get away with breaking the rules with lyrics. This is because the lyrics must blend with the music (melody, harmony, bass, instrumentals, etc.). As well, the rules are pretty ironclad...much like many forms of poetry. The difference is people do not go around singing pantoums. If you've ever witnessed that, get it on film and put it online so we can all see it!  Back on topic. The rules of lyrics can be broken and broken in a riveting way. This is why I have crowned Genesis as my lyrical heroes. When it comes to lyrics, I am particularly fond of "Firth of Fifth" and "Squonk". With "Firth of Fifth", two long verses are the only lyrics in an eight and a half minute song. "Squonk" is one of the group's narrative lyrics. What sets "Squonk" apart from the others is that it can be read like prose if the music is removed. And we cannot forget others who turned the structure of lyrics on its ear: Arlo Guthrie with "Alice's Restaurant", Train with "Mississippi" (one of the better contemporary examples) and Queen with the two-in-one "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions". Rules can be broken in the lyrical world. The key is having the musical know-how to pull it off.
In the end, the main differences between poetry and lyrics are the audiences absorbing each type of writing, the reliance on music that lyrics have and the rigidity of the form. The rules can be broken, but any lyricist willing to try better be able to understand the musical implications of such tricks. Then again, a few more rule breakers could mess with the cogs of the lyrical machine.  In any case, poetry and lyrics have a number of things in common. However, in structure and intent, these two forms of writing are distinct crafts all their own.
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The last time I edited this newsletter, I got quite a few comments on the topic both in reviews on the poll I posted and in the comments section. I've decided to share as many as I could. Yeah. This might take a while.
(For those of you who missed it the last time around.)
From larryp: As a poet and a reviewer, I find this newsletter edition to be quite helpful. In editing my own poetry and in reviewing, I believe it is important to read a poem several times, both silently and aloud, as you have suggested. I find reviews that do so are the most helpful. Other reviewers help me in my iambic meter, since I have a Texas/Kansas lingo that doesn't always enunciate correctly. I am finding that I use the dictionary more and more for syllables and stressed syllables in writing metered poetry.
Thanks for a very helpful newsletter.
kansaspoet
Larry
Yeah, accents an get in the way of enunciation, which can throw readers for a loop. Perhaps instructions on the accent used for reading the poem might help.  But if all else fails, find someone with a Midland accent (provided you want the poem to meet syllable/metrical requirements in American English). The Midland accent (derived from the Midwest) tends to be the most commonly comprehended dialect of American English, which can make a difference in stress patterns for words, syllable counts and other pesky aspect of poetic rhythm.
From Tammy~Catchin Up~ : Great topic.
I always try and read aloud my poem to edit and other's poems when reviewing.
Tammy
I admit I'm not consistent about reading poetry aloud. I'll do it if I find something that doesn't appear correct in a silent reading. Even after the out loud reading, I still consult a dictionary to get a second opinion on how a word should be enunciated. That enunciation tends to affect the word immediately proceeding it, so I have to be careful to not let it result in a domino effect. 
From darkin: Great newsletter Elisa I always read a poem I'm reviewing out loud. I find it helps me locate things to point out to the writer.
Darkin
I think reading things aloud in general is one of the more effective ways to locate trouble spots. My history professor, for example, recommends it as a proofreading step. 
From susandudzinski: Elisa...thanks for your poll as it shed light on the fact that while I was successfully using "reading aloud" to aid in the editing of my poetry it just didn't occur to me that it might assist in my reviewing of other member's poetry. Most helpful, and the links you provided added additional learning opportunities for me. Navigating the Writing.com site doesn't always produce useful results and here you brought to me items that would shed the most light with respect to my poetry writing endeavours. Thanks for your work and efforts. Much appreciated! Poetess in progress, Sandy.
Glad my links came in handy! It can be a bit of a challenge finding suitable items to link, especially with the multitude of items out there. I have to admit I haven't always been good at it. A little guidance from John~Ashen  adjusted how I pick items to feature in my newsletter, and it seems to be benefiting the newsletter readers. Hopefully this round of editor's picks are just as helpful.
From Lexi : Elisa,
Nice and thourough newsletter. You were informative and helpful
Thank you! I hope this newsletter is also informative yet not overwhelming for the readers. For some reason, I find the poetry newsletter a little easier to guest edit because I know what topics are on writers' minds and deserve a great deal of attention. Yay, poetry!
From bkcompton: I pride myself on writing work that has a lyrical quality, when I can produce it. Music is a great inspiration for the rhythm and movement and think that it should be written for the auditory as well as for the eyes.
Sounding out the words can let me know if there are some tough word combinations that are going to trip up the reader and put a snag in the flow of the poem.
I only wish I could get up to a mike and read my poems aloud or had a software to allow me to record and sharing my interpetations of my poems because I think it would add another dimension for readers who can hear the intended intonation of the words.
Great survey!
Brian
I had to share this comment because it reflects the interlinking of poetry to music/lyrics. Poetry does indeed have its own rhythm. However, that rhythm isn't always easy to pair with musical accompaniment or to create a melodic line for it. Still, the aural aspect of poetry is nothing to be brushed aside. I just wish that they would tone down the melodramatics at poetry slams. As for the software you'd like to have, I did find this.
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If you have a decent microphone (or can borrow one), this software can help bring your oral renditions of poetry to life (especially for those with professional memberships ). Perhaps it's something to look into for those days you're inside recovering from a sunburn. |
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