Thursday, March 26, 2009

My Found Poem: Through a Looking Glass



Through a looking glass
I see a new world
Always laughter
Singing of gratitude
Suddenly I see
A map of the world
My eyes are captivated
By the power to see
Everything around is a silver pool of light
Feel the benefit of it
Celebrate the malleable reality
Life is but a dream


(lyrics taken from: "Live High" - Jason Mraz and "Suddenly I See" - K.T. Tunstall)

Monday, March 23, 2009

Repetition of Sounds 2: I Want To Break Free - Queen

I Want To Break Free
Queen
I want to break free
I want to break free
I want to break free from your lies
Youre so self satisfied I dont need you
Ive got to break free
God knows God knows I want to break free

Ive fallen in love
Ive fallen in love for the first time
And this time I know its for real
Ive fallen in love yeah
God knows God knows Ive fallen in love

Its strange but its true
I cant get over the way you love me like you do
But I have to be sure
When I walk out that door
Oh how I want to be free baby
Oh how I want to be free
Oh how I want to break free

But life still goes on
I cant get used to living without living without
Living without you by my side
I dont want to live alone hey
God knows got to make it on my own
So baby cant you see
Ive got to break free

Ive got to break free
I want to break free yeah

I want I want I want I want to break free....

Repetition of Songs 1: All These Things That I've Done - The Killers

All These Things That I've Done
The Killers
When there's no where else to run
Is there room for one more son
One more son
If you can hold on
If you can hold on, hold on
I wanna stand up, I wanna let go
You know, you know - no you don't, you don't
I wanna shine on in the hearts of men
I wanna mean it from the back of my broken hand

Another head aches, another heart breaks
I am so much older than I can take
And my affection, well it comes and goes
I need direction to perfection, no no no no

Help me out
Yeah, you know you got to help me out
Yeah, oh don't you put me on the back burner
You know you got to help me out, yeah

And when there's nowhere else to run
Is there room for one more son
These changes ain't changing me
The gold-hearted boy I used to be

Yeah, you know you got to help me out
Yeah, oh don't you put me on the back burner
You know you got to help me out
You're gonna bring yourself down
Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down
Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down

[x10]
I got soul, but I'm not a soldier
I got soul, but I'm not a soldier

Yeah, you know you gotta help me out
Yeah, oh don't you put me on the back burner
You know you gotta help me out
You're gonna bring yourself down
Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down
Yeah, oh don't you put me on the back burner
You're gonna bring yourself down
Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down

Over and in, last call for sin
While everyone's lost, the battle is won
With all these things that I've done
All these things that I've done
(Time, truth, and heart)
If you can hold on
If you can hold on

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Anadiplosis: Life is Wonderful by Jason Mraz

Life is Wonderful
Jason Mraz

It takes a crane to build a crane
It takes two floors to make a story
It takes an egg to make a hen
It takes a hen to make an egg
There is no end to what I'm saying

It takes a thought to make a word
And it takes some words to make an action
And it takes some work to make it work
It takes some good to make it hurt
It takes some bad for satisfaction

Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la

It takes a night to make it dawn
And it takes a day to make you yawn brother
And it takes some old to make you young
It takes some cold to know the sun
It takes the one to have the other

And it takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
And it takes some fears to make you trust
It takes some tears to make it rust
It takes the dust to have it polished

Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la

It takes some silence to make sound
And it takes a loss before you found it
And it takes a road to go nowhere
It takes a toll to make you care
It takes a hole to MAKE a mountain

Ah la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la life is meaningful
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la life is meaningful
Ah la la la la la la life is full of
Ah la la la la la life is so full of love
Ah la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life is meaningful
Ah la la la la la life is full of
Ah la la la la la life is so full of love

Analysis:
"Life is Wonderful" by Jason Mraz uses a form of repetition, called anadiplosis, to enhance the meaning of the song. Anadiplosis is the repetition of words at the end of a phrase that are used at the beginning of the next phrase. The song is meant to be inspirational, saying that life goes full circle, and everything happens for a reason. The speaker uses anadiiplosis in the first verse to further support his ideas. He sings, "it takes an egg to make a hen it takes a hen to make an egg" to provide an example for his philosophy that life goes full circle. The speaker uses some anaphora as well, repeating the phrase "it takes" at the beginning of most of the lines of the song. This use of anaphora illustrates the dependence one thing has on another in order to make something happen. Cranes are needed to make cranes, thoughts are needed to make words, and it takes some fears to make you trust. Every occurence in life happens because of another occurence, and everything happens full circle. This song uses repetition to enhance its message and meaning, and its meaning makes it optimisitc and inspirational.

Anaphora: Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through by Meat Loaf

Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through
Meat Loaf

You cant run away forever
But theres nothing wrong with getting a good head start
You want to shut out the night
You want to shut down the sun
You want to shut away the pieces of a broken heart
Thing of how wed lay down together
Wed be listening to the radio so loud and so strong
Every golden nugget coming like a gift of the gods
Someone must have blessed us when he gave us those songs

I treasure your love
I never want to lose it
Youve been through the fires of hell
And I know youve got the ashes to prove it
I treasure your love
I want to show you how to use it
Youve been through a lot of pain in the dirt
And I know youve got the scars to prove it

Remember everything that I told you
Well Im telling you again that its true
When youre alone and afraid
And youre completely amazed
To find theres nothing anybody can do
Keep on believing
And youll discover baby

Theres always something magic
Theres always something new
And when you really, really need it the most
Thats when rock and roll dreams come through
The beat is yours forever
The beat is always true
And when you really, really need it the most
Thats when rock and roll dreams come through...for you...

Once upon a time was a backbeat
Once upon a time all the chords came to life
And the angels had guitars even before they had wings
If you hang on to a chorus you get through the night

I treasure your love
I never want to lose it
Youve been through the fires of hell
And I know youve got the ashes to prove it
I treasure your love
I want to show you how to use it
Youve been through a lot of pain in the dirt
And I know youve got the scars to prove it

Remember everything that I told you
Well Im telling you again that its true
Youre never alone cause you can put on the phones
And let the drummer tell your heart ehat to do
Keep on believing
And youll discover baby

Theres always something magic
Theres always something new
And when you really, really need it the most
Thats when rock and roll dreams come through
The beat is yours forever
The beat is always true
And when you really, really need it the most
Thats when rock and roll dreams come through...for you...

Analysis:
There are many examples of anaphora in the song "Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through" by Meat Loaf. Anaphora is used in the song for emphasis, and enhances the song tremendously. One example of anaphora is used to connect to the listener, or who the song was written for. The speaker sings, "you want to shut out the night, you want to shut down the sun, you want to shut away the pieces of a broken heart". Repetition is used here by the speaker to tell the listener (or who the song was written for) that he understands what they are going through and knows what they want. Another example of anaphora is used to inspire the listener, and enhances the mood of optimism. The speaker sings, "there's always something magic, there always something new" and "the beat is yours forever, the beat is always true". They want to tell the listener not to give up hope, because they will always have music and past memories to inspire them. The speaker also uses anaphora to reflect upon past times and how things used to be. He sings, "once upon a time was a backbeat, once upon a time all the chords came to life" to sing of better times. This song is inspirational and optimistic, and the anaphora used helps the listener think optimistically.