Poems

I started out playing my guitar more than 20 years ago and tried so very hard to become a song writter , but more I tried the more poems I wrote it wasn't until this old fellow told me writting songs and poems are so close it's not funny . Using different chords and adding bridges can change poems to songs . I still feel most of my lyrics sound like poems and it is something I am trying to avoid .

Poems / lyrics call them what you like if you can make them up and put music to them then it then must be a song ( ballard )

I don't know if I have helped or not but am sure many others have thier own opions on this and remember that's what they are opions and opions only .

cheers

First off ...nice job. I enjoyed reading this. "I'm living in a moment of a single kiss" I really liked that line.

To me the main thing that differentiates poems from lyrics is the structure. Lyrics usually have verses, a bridge, and a chorus. On the other hand poems are more freelance...you can use up as many lines as you want in whatever way you want as opposed to song lyrics where you have about 3 or 4 minutes to get your point across and not bore the person listening to the song. Either way...a good peice of writting is a good peice of writting. :D

again, nice job
Sally

George,
I think there is a big misconception about poetry. I may be wrong but I fell people view poetry as write some words and make it sound good.
There are so many factors involved. What type of poem do you want to write? Haiku, limerick, sonnet, ode, ect... Then there's syntax (the way words are arranged), Diction (type of words used), Trope (hidden meanings) and a million other things to consider. If you have a desire to learn about poetry buy a poetry for poets book, or something like that. I have been discovering my own appreciations for poetry lately, and by no means am an expert, but I do know there's more to poetry then meets the eye.

My suggestion, buy a book on poetry

Here's one definition from the dictionary for poetry...

"A piece of literature written in meter; verse"

doesn't sound too different from lyrics

"relating to a category of poetry that expresses subjective thoughts and feelings, often in a songlike style or form"

There are many poems that make great lyrics and vice versa.

Sometimes when I listen to a really good "poetry reader" I can almost hear music underneath them while they are reading.

There are many poems that make great lyrics and vice versa.

Agree completly, poems are a great resource for writing lyrics. Thats why its almost a necessity to learn everything you can about poetry. You can write based off other lyrics and styles, but i think that may limit your creativity.
Sometimes when I listen to a really good "poetry reader" I can almost hear music underneath them while they are reading.

That's a result of the meter, or specifically the recurring stressed/unstressed syllables in the foot. There's lots of combinations that essentially make poetry sing.

Dirty Rotten

hey, i liked it. especially these lines:
'Cause love's what makes a hero just a man
and the faint-hearted stand and face their fears.

Looks like there are enough arguments about the differences between poems and lyrics, so I'll avoid that subject.

The poem was excellent. It used great metaphors to give the listener imagination, and still stayed on track of what the poem meant.

I reckon if you put some music behind it you'd be gobsmacked at how good it could sound.

I thought this line

But once in it I'm only deeper wading

worked better as

But once deeper in it, I'm only wading

otherwise I think it's really good.

Poems themselves don't do it for me - I have to have something to write about. Check out my lyrics for "Toothbrush" - is that still on this site?

Best,

A :-)

lottoking..... IMHO

A poem is a lyric waiting for music[/

lucy

thanx guys
I appreciate your opinions