Tag Archives: singing

When Poetry and Music Merge Seamlessly

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I derive great pleasure from listening to music. One of my favourite artists is Ed Sheeran. On listening to some of Ed’s songs I am struck by how closely music and poetry can blend together. Take, for example Sheeran’s song “Happier”

As with much poetry, “Happier” consists of a mixture of rhyme and half-rhyme. However most of “Happier” does rhyme, with “too”, “do” and “new” forming a simple (but highly effective) rhyming scheme as with

“You look happier, you do.
My friend told me one day I’ll feel it too”.

If you listen to the song, you will, I think hear the poetry therein.

Kevin

The Musician’s Lover

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“O sweet musician
Lead me not into perdition
For the lay
You play
Has carried many a man away.

Your tune
‘Tis over soon
And those who do you adore
Are left wanting more.

The beat
Of your feet
Has led many a man astray.
The song you play
Leaves men weak
And unable to speak
Save in grunt and moan.

We men can not leave it alone.
Though the wise amongst us know
That there is no rest
To be found on the breast
Of the musician who will play
A sweet lay
For a damned soul’s pay.

I Sing The Song Of Wrong And Right

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I sing
The song
Of wrong
And right
At night
Heels bring
A fleeting joy
To some poor boy.

The morrow
May sorrow bring,
But tonight
I sing
Of what some call wrong,
And others right,
And of the light that glows
And shows
The road to heaven
And to hell
That many a poor wretch knows
All to well.

Curtains twitch
And gossips itch
To tell,
While the poet continues to sing of heaven,
And passion hot as hell

Listening to the Radio

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A young woman, on the radio, sings of crushes
And how love comes and goes.
Heaven knows
She spares no blushes
Regaling me with her affairs.
A song light as air
That passes over where
The party goers play.

Today
It is the tune of this nubile
Girl
To which the dancers twirl.
There may be a denial
That this constitutes art.
I, for my part
Find in her voice, a pleasant enough warble
Over which to dordle
As I bathe and shave