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Prompt: For many, the idea of appreciating poetry is a daunting one. When you look at the
lyrics to a song you like, they resemble poetry, but are they Poems with a capital “P”? Here’s
where the notion of the Literary Canon can a troubling one to English scholars at all levels.
What determines a work of art as Genuine? Official? Beautiful? Explore the notions of the
Canon by exploring how poetry’s conventions are used in the very music we listen to everyday.
Your mission is to select a canonical poem from our textbook, Premier Book of Major Poets and
compare it to song lyrics of your choice. You are arguing for the artistic legitimacy of the music
of your times.
The parts:
1) 1 copy of the poem, its title and the poet’s name, typed out exactly as it appears in the
anthology. Many believe there’s a way of ‘knowing’ a poem through the writing of it.
2) 1 copy of the song’s title, lyrics and songwriter’s name. The lyrics should be typed out
exactly as they appear online or in the liner notes, if available.
3) 3-5 page comparison. You should explicate your insights: the poem and song’s
similarities/differences in theme, style, subject matter, attitude or a combination. Point out
specific uses of poetic devices: alliteration, ambiguity, assonance, etc. Importantly, though this
essay is short, your interpretation of the poem and song should be clear and your claims
defended with the language of the poems themselves.
Getting there
There are a couple of approaches to this project that might be helpful.
Consider the music first. Examine a song’s lyrics seriously to see if they have any more
depth than what you interpret upon a first read?
Luck and intuition play the cards with spades to start
And after he’s been hooked I’ll play the one that’s on his heart
This passage from Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face,” plays on the extended metaphor of human
behavior resembling a card game. Whereas there’s not much to say about the selection
from “My Heart Will go On”:
We’ll stay forever this way
You are safe in my heart
And my heart will go on and on
Another approach might be to read the poems in the anthology first. See if you’re struck
by the similarity they have to a song you know. Note that the text’s poems are grouped by
themes.
Possible groups/songwriters to consider:
Beatles
Van Morrison
Irving Berlin
Bob Dylan
Suzanne Vega
Silverchair
Tom Waits
Joni Mitchell
The Clash
The Who
Fiona Apple
The Doors
The Rolling Stones
UB40
Hole
No Doubt
Ani DiFranco
Jay Ferrar
Steve Earle
Steely Dan
Alanis Morrissete
Tracy Chapman
Paul Simon
Smashing Pumpkins
U2
Bob Marley
Bruce Springsteen
REM
Mos Def
Woody Guthrie
Talib Kweli
Sonic Youth
Elbow
Beck
Neil Young
Nirvana
Green Day
Foo Fighters
Dandy Warhols
Ween
John Lennon
Considerations:
The hardest part of the project for many will be making your selection. Avoid a song that’s too
ambiguous and/or impenetrable (Stevie Nicks, Led Zepplin, Tori Amos). Furthermore, avoid
the Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, One Direction, cliché factory.
Do not use any secondary sources and avoid any biographical information as a claim for the
author’s intent. The writer’s life is immaterial to the lens you’re using here. This is Reader
Response criticism in the strictest sense. Remember it’s not why s/he wrote it, it’s what do the
words convey?
Your paper will be assessed on your ability to demonstrate:
1) balance in your comparison
2) thematic inference between two works
3) stylistic inference/application of prosody
4) differences between the two poems
5) ambiguities/multiplicity of meaning where appropriate
6) Depth of explication to support your positions
7) Holistic interpretation of both poems
You will not be able to revise this essay, so use the opportunities to have outlines and
drafts looked at by me and by our Writing Lab tutors.
Since “A Young Wife” was used in the student sample, you cannot use “A Young Wife”
as your poem.
