 
 
Day 27 Music
Poetry was born as music, so it should
come as no surprise that musical lyrics today may still
be poetry.
Poets.org has a page with links to dozens
of articles about the connection between Poetry & Music. Although most of
the two dozen articles focus on the musical elements of poetry,
several do focus on the poetic talents of specific musical artists,
such as Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Patti Smith, and the Velvet Underground.
What makes a poem sound pleasing to the
ear? A solid rhythm for one thing - something we know a good
song also depends on. Smithsonian Education offers lessons
on the music in poetry with an emphasis on ballads
and blues and its very own recommended soundtrack. These two poetic forms began
as song forms: the ballad stanza of British and American
literature and the blues stanzas of Harlem Renaissance
poet Langston Hughes.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also hosts a digital classroom for using music in teaching.
The Sibl Project, sponsored by Artists for
Literacy, emphasizes songs inspired by literature. Some are well-known,
but most have grown out of their annual contest. Three CDs with
winning spngs are available. A section on lesson plans is also available.
Independent Lens, the PBS program, has
devoted an episode to Strange Fruit, the following poem/song.
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Strange Fruit by Abel Meeropol (aka Lewis Allan)
Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.
Pastoral scene of the gallant
south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.
Here is the fruit for the crows
to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.
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Rare footage of Billie Holiday
singing this song is available on YouTube. |
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Your Turn:
This Poetry of Music project will involve choosing lyrics to
a song, analyzing these for various poetic elements, creating
a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation combining images and words,
and presenting your song to the class.
Guidelines:
- Choose a song whose lyrics are meaningful
and poetic. This is the most crucial step in your project. If
it goes awry, all goes awry. The song should be at least three
minutes in length.
- Profanity is not allowed.
- You need to have at least ten images.
These can be found pictures or original pictures. Each image/picture
should be relevant to the lyrics presented.
- Any genre of music is acceptable but remember
we have to be able to hear the lyrics clearly.
- Please steer clear of cutesy lyrics devoid
of interpretation or meaning.
- This is an individual project. I want
to see your understanding of poetry and how the lyrics you have
chosen reflect this.
- Be as creative as you would like to be!
Add texture, light effects, etc. to make the viewing of your
poem enjoyable.
- Poetic elements to include: TP-CASTT Analysis.
- Integrate the poetic elements in a second
run through the song lyrics.
A. First run = song lyrics and images/pictures.
B. Second run = poetic elements underlined or highlighted and
discussed and explained.
- Have fun with this project and be creative!
If you have any ideas to add or that would enrich this project,
let me know.
- I need to see a typed copy of the song
lyrics and your analysis before your presentation to the class.
Download a Poetry of Music handout.
Listen to Billy Holiday sing
this poem.
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