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Lyric analysis essay
Song lyric analysis essay
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“When I fall” is a lyrical song written by Steven Page and Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies. It is about a window washer who is at a critical moment in his life. The song is structured in such a way that a progression and transformation is seen in the window washers troubles from worrisome to life threatening. The window washer is the persona of the poem, and in the first stanza he expresses a fear. He is somewhere he doesn’t want to be and is scared. This is followed by the chorus of the song in which it is made clear that he wants to make a change in his life, but is afraid of failure. At this point the window washers troubles take on the form of deep mental anguish where he resorts to prayer and laments on the physically and mentally troubling aspects of his world. In the next stanza, the window washer comments on the prestige of the boardroom he looks into as he washes the windows. Here he addresses the change he wants to make in his life and states that he would like to swap places with the business men in the room. However, he realizes that this is impossible because they would never agree to lower themselves to the stature of a window washer. When he realizes this, his thoughts become radical and he contemplates suicide. By the end of the song however, he pulls himself together and realizes that what he does and who is does have some value in the world.
All of this is brought to the reader by an abundant use of figurative language throughout the song. For Instance, the scaffold the man is standing on symbolizes his position in life (he is scared and wants to escape. In the third stanza, after describing the problems with his world and how he prays, he curses the windstorms. This is actually a metaphor for his mental confusion and despair. In the next stanza, the prestige of the boardroom is made evident by the allusion of it towards a pharoahs tomb. We know in the end that he has pulled it all together when he calls his “crystal clear canvas” (the windows) a “masterpiece” . He has given value to his work and thus, value to his life.
The sonf has a definite rhyme scheme which lends itself well to the theme of the poem.
In line five and six, the male feels so down and intimidated and could not do anything. In the third stanza, in line one to four we see that the male tries to change the present state but it does not seem to bear fruit. In line six and seven the female is still dominating the male.
First of alll, the poem is divided into nine stanzas, where each one has four lines. In addition to that, one can spot a few enjambements for instance (l.9-10). This stylistic device has the function to support the flow of the poem. Furthermore, it is crucial to take a look at the choice of words, when analysing the language.
Roethke’s poem has a regular rhyme scheme that can be expressed as “abab”. The only exception to this scheme would be the first stanza as the words “dizzy” (2) and “easy” (4) are slant rhymes. Only the end syllables of the two words sound the same. As a result, the use of a consistent “abab” rhyme scheme allows the poem to reflect the
The elements in the poem work very well together to help set the theme of this poem. The tone set the overall mood of the poem, so show that it was rushed but not in a chaotic way. The imagery helps to show us little details of the setting, which are very helpful. And finally, the figures of speech, help the reader to compare the scene to things they have experienced in their lifetime to fully understand the poem.
The constant rhythm throughout the poem gives it a light beat, like a waltz; the reader feels like s/he is dancing. The rhyme pattern of...
The use of alliteration, tone, mood, theme and other elements that construct a well balanced poem are in this piece of literature.
Wordsworth shows the possibility of finding freedom within his poem by choosing to write within the Italian sonnet’s rules. What makes an Italian sonnet unique is the division and pattern of its rhyme scheme. It is usually structured in an ABBA, ABBA, CDE, CDE pattern, and broken into two main parts, the octave (the first eight lines) and the sestet (the final six). The meter of “Nuns” can be labeled as iambic pentameter, yet along with the meter, the poem differs from the norm in two more ways. The first difference is in the rhyme scheme. In a typical Italian sonnet, the sestet follows a CDE, CDE pattern, in “Nuns” however, it follows the pattern CDD, CCD. It’s minute, but adds emphases to the 13th line, which contains the poem’s second anomaly. All the poem’s lines have an ...
Poetry is an expression of a writer 's inner thoughts and underlying affection. Composing a sonnet is all about expressing your inner empathy and challenging your readers to dig deeper into the true meaning of writing. How a poet grows up and the experience he or she has faced in their lifetime is the foundation of their poetry. Benjamin Alire Saenz grew up in New Mexico and was a priest for a few years in his life. His poem To the Desert, has a deeper meaning than what is actually being portrayed. Some readers may assume that it is only about living in the desert and adapting to the environment itself. However, that is not quite the case with this solid piece of writing. Throughout the composition of the poem, metaphors, allusions, theme,
Moran, Daniel. “Sonnet XXIX.” Poetry for Students. Ed. David Galens. Vol. 16. Detroit: Gale, 2002. 146-147. Print.
4. In lines 85 to the end of the poem is where we can find the true meaning of the piece. After what seems to be a very bi-polar first part, the speaker finally settles with being one of a kind. She claims that “song has touched her lips with fire/ and made her heart a shrine;” and feels as if she has this special gift (poetry) that she hopes will be remembered forever.
...a definite and recognizable pattern. This poem is certainly not a sonnet, either in subject matter, meaning, or format. The rhyme scheme for this poem is that of A B B A, C D D C, E F F E, G H H G. There is enough continuity in this rhyme scheme to hold the poem together as a whole through the use of the pattern, however the changing of the actual rhyming words and the fact that, for instance, the A word is only repeated one time (as are all of the others) intensifies the poets feelings of loss over the change in his love's desires. Through the rhyming scheme, the poet is conveying the hopelessness of the two of them getting back together and repeating the beautiful love they once shared.
The regular rhyme scheme -- A-B-C-C-B -- gives the poem a nursery-rhyme quality. In many places, the style seems to overpower the content: stanza 47 seems constructed solely to showcase the rhyme it contains: "Perhaps he's climbed into an oak / Where he will stay till he is dead" (ll. 233-234) is not really a worrisome fate, but it rhymes neatly with the last two lines of the stanza.
Sonnets have existed as a change of pace and challenge for writers since their first appearance during the Renaissance. Unlike many other forms of poetry and prose, sonnets function with a specific formula. With strict rules about the amount of lines, and the need for complete adherence to specific patterns, it is no surprise that it takes a skilled writer to create an enjoyable and structurally correct sonnet. While there is no straying from the path in the actual building blocks of sonnets, the content is a different story. Since sonnets often have the theme of romantic love, differences between them show through the unique relationships between the lovers. Specifically, in the sonnets of Shakespeare, Spenser, and Pollitt, we see a happy relationship, one full of recognized
Moran, Daniel. “Sonnet XXIX.” Poetry for Students. Ed. David Galens. Vol. 16. Detroit: Gale, 2002. 146-147. Print.
The ABAB rhyme scheme is a pattern that can be recognized by many individuals; therefore, it relates to the message that motivation is needed by everybody. Two ABAB rhyme schemes make up each stanza, which symbolizes the positivity and negativity that battle throughout the poem. Guest breaks the rhyme scheme once by rhyming “failure” with “you”. This strategic action emphasizes the different methods that negative individuals use to destroy a person’s ambition. Internal rhyme is included in many lines of the poem to create fluidity and sound pleasing to an audience. The poem is composed of a qualitative iambic meter, giving the syllables a sound of da DUM. A pleasing flow is observed through the fairly consistent line length and line syllable number. The lines throughout the poem end in both stressed and unstressed syllables, referencing the battle between discouragement and