: Writing a well rounded lyrics with incredible musicality and incredible poetry Most songs use very simple language that resonate within their readers. They use short sentences that are simple and

@Carla500

Posted in: #Lyrics #Poetry

Most songs use very simple language that resonate within their readers. They use short sentences that are simple and have a strong emotional impact, because they are short and thus lyrical (easy to sing it).


I learned the hard way

You broke my heart

Left it in pieces

In the shack of our past

Feel and hear the voice

Of my heart

The lingering hope

Still beats deep within me


Just wrote this in a rush without much thinking.

Great poems, not all of them, have longer verses, and very poor "lyricality". They are hard to sing, they are meant to be read. However, they seem to be, in some aspects, much deeper and more meaningful.


March! The mud is cakin' good about our trousies.

Front! -- eyes front, an' watch the Colour-casin's drip.

Front! The faces of the women in the 'ouses

Ain't the kind o' things to take aboard the ship.


The above comes from "Birds Of Prey March"" by Rudyard Kipling:

So how would you go about writing a lyric for a song that share the same the strengths of both, but none of their weaknesses?

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@Pierce369

@Pierce369

Poetry used to have the noble purpose of holding the knowledge and history of a people. They were relatively easy to memorize and could be sung or spoken.
Blake said he never wrote poetry, he took divine dictation.
Poetry often uses shifts of emphasis and changes of rhythm - such would be difficult to sing. That is not a problem as there are two very different art forms that you seem to be confusing or wishing to merge.
Lyrics require music to be complete, and are written to be sung - often with a melody that has already been written.
Poetry is complete unto itself. Kublia Khan does not require a pianist to be gorgeous - the music is in the carefully crafted genius of the piece itself.
Poetry seeks to move the reader and is often savoured slowly. Song lyrics move at the pace of the music they are sung to and are trapped in that. There is no time to appreciate a well turned phrase or brilliant image - it is gone and the next has replaced it.

Our sincerest laughter
With some pain is fraught;
Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought - PBS

This has power, grace, beauty and internal music - needing nothing external to render it beautiful. It is also true - as good poetry often is. Of course, Shelley is more than good.
Reducing poetry to mere song lyrics would be unfortunate. Some verse can be sung - I love Schiller’s powerful words combining flawlessly with Beethoven’s powerful strains, but it was Beethoven who adapted to the poem, creating his unforgettable piece.

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