Music as Poetry

"The End" by Jim Morrison of The Doors

PART 1: THE LYRICS-

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
Ill never look into your eyes...again

Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need...of some...strangers hand
In a...desperate land

Lost in a roman...wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane
All the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah

Theres danger on the edge of town
Ride the kings highway, baby
Weird scenes inside the gold mine
Ride the highway west, baby

Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake, the ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles
Ride the snake...hes old, and his skin is cold

The west is the best
The west is the best
Get here, and well do the rest

The blue bus is callin' us
The blue bus is callin' us
Driver, where you taken us

The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on
He took a face from the ancient gallery
And he walked on down the hall
He went into the room where his sister lived, and...then he
Paid a visit to his brother, and then he
He walked on down the hall, and
And he came to a door...and he looked inside
Father, yes son, I want to kill you
Mother...i want to...fuck you

C'mon baby, take a chance with us
C'mon baby, take a chance with us
C'mon baby, take a chance with us
And meet me at the back of the blue bus
Doin' a blue rock
On a blue bus
Doin' a blue rock
C'mon, yeah

Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

It hurts to set you free
But you'll never follow me
The end of laughter and soft lies
The end of nights we tried to die

This is the end

Part 2: Validation as poetry -

"The End" is poetry by virtue of its intent, and its structures including rhyme, metaphor, and its (although inconsistent) meter. The poem/song is trying to convey an emotion throughout the peace, an emotion of seeming desperation, clearly illustrated through the straightforward opening and closing line "this is the end" and through colorful imagery. Jim Morrison sets pictures of a slithering cold snake in which the snake may symbolize how we go through time. He uses the cold scene of "a killer [waking]... before dawn" illustrating, with relatively simple language the processes of his thinking. This might be a self-reflection of Morrison's own mind, or it could be further illustration of the general theme and mood of the song. Many of the lines in the song rhyme and stanzas seem to alternate, somewhat consistently, between short and long meter. In terms of techniques and structure this would be a very free form poem with a semblance of rhyme and informal meter, but because of the deep emotion, mood, and theme consistently pounded in throughout the duration of the song it would qualify, more so than a narrative song, as poetry, due to the nature of its lyrics.


Part 3: Post a video -

I have no idea of how to post a video, and won't pretend that I do, but I can post this link to a video of The Doors playing "The End." Enjoy...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8480903906215539826&q=The+Doors+The+End&total=1843&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

The Tower of Fear

Fear dominates all other emotions. It is at the same time the essence and the antithesis of human nature. It is the essence because often times fear is what drives us towards emotions like anger or embarrassment, while it is also a path away from human instinct and emotion by driving us to shut down. In this way fear is a double edged sword. On the one hand it is what leads us to our most primal defensive emotions, it "closes us off" from the outside world. On the other hand, only when we conquer fear can we freely express our true selves, our true emotions.

Fear dominates our emotions through locking us up. The homecoming game is a wonderful example of this premise. Everyone is afraid of rejection, they only want to be accepted as a part of the group, so most people chant when others chant, and sit or stand according to the crowd. The fear they have of sticking out causes them to suppress what they may want to do, be it start their own cheer, or not yell at all, or maybe to sit during a climactic moment of the game. Fear dictated the actions of the majority of the Hopkins student body at the homecoming football game. Fear also controls other emotions. When we are afraid we repress our tendencies to be emotional. This is often caused by the primal want for acceptance, and fear of rejection. Among a larger group a friend of mine wasn't able to express his anger at another friend for shortchanging him on more than one occasion, however, when the larger group wasn't present he complained to me about his annoyance and impatience with the third party.

Conquering fears is the best course towards emotion. When we fear things we act differently, however, a lack of fear can open the floodgates of deep thoughts. This is the reason why you only truly get to know people well after a long time. At first they may be afraid of your judgment, however, at a certain point they feel ready to lose that fear, or face it, and lay themselves on the line. The prime example of this is also, coincidentally from homecoming weekend, although, not exactly an example of a close relationship. My esteemed colleague Timmy Van Sickle made the decision at homecoming to conquer a fear. He took off his clothes and ran around the football field barring all for the crowd. While this may not be viewed favorably by all it supplies a demonstration of my thesis. While he ran people said to me, "Noah, you should do that next year!" My response, was one of fear. I was afraid of being arrested, of suspension, and of my parents' reaction. However, I noticed that Timmy seemed genuinely happy and excited, even while being escorted y law enforcement from the field. Why? Timmy had released himself from his fears to streak across the field. Because he ignored, or conquered his fear of the consequences of his actions he was able to truly show his emotions. However distastefully some might have thought his display, I thought it was a beautiful demonstration of the highest form of human freedom and emotion, only demonstrated by freedom from fear.

Fear can come from numerous places, often for teens from peer pressure, or from the want to meet or exceed expectations. However, it is readily clear that fear is the most powerful emotion as it dictates other emotions when it is not kept in check.

Blog 4 - Dear John

Dear Juan,
Happy new year! I'm leaving you. With you over yonder defending freedom in a glorious war against the Panamanians, I have been stranded here, alone, with only the Nicaraguan summer to comfort me. I know that you left only 2 months ago, but I can't stand your absence. Every cricket I hear has your voice in it. All I've done these past months is worry about you, about whether you're alive, or if your doing well. I can't do it any more.
In truth we weren't made for each other, you know that, me being a nun and all. I knew that it wouldn't work. Juan, you always yelled so loud about the littlest things, and I don't miss that. Juan, you always used the Lord's name in vain, and I don't miss that either. You have such a temper that you probably haven't made it this far into the letter because you've already ripped it up. Juan, I don't want to hurt you, but it wouldn't work even if you were here with me. As hard as I try, I can't understand your lifestyle, and God knows you can't understand mine. We're through because you always flip the table over when you get mad, because you call the convent a dump, and because I met a nice man named Ricardo who treats me right. Godspeed Juan, I'll never forget you.
Con Amor De, Maria

Blog 3 - Option B

An Early Fall

The plum trees extended their tired, thirsty branches towards the skies with their last morsels of energy remaining. They had been starved of nutrients over the past days. It had been cloudy numerous times, but no rain had fallen. They cried out with their purple flowers that were slowly succumbing to the ghastly yellow of the ground. The noble leaves, refusing to be biological peons, even in their last days turned golden, not yellow, golden. Golden was much nicer, more befitting.
The birds and foxes under the trees, seeking refuge from the heat and famine resented their situation. They eyed the dying grasses with contempt. "It's your fault! Why couldn't you just grow?" Their expressions showed their fury at the ground. They were more naive than the regal plum trees. The trees whose infinite years showered them with aloof wisdom knew that they were dying, but the animals refused to understand what mother nature had allowed. Tough love indeed... Like a child who doesn't understand why their knee hurts after falling the birds cried. The foxes, stubborn pubescent and full of angst, wallowed in self pity.
Watching the seen from a slight distance Alvin couldn't help but frown. He would be laughing like hell, if his own feelings didn't mimic the trees' and animals'. He too was suffering. His belly was shriveling from existence. His light-tan skin was caked in dirt and the humidity catalyzed an amazing sweat. He was on the hill across from the pasture. His niece, 17 years younger than himself, was anxious to continue picking the wrinkled, brownish tomatoes. They too we shriveling. She smiled at him, too used to hunger to know better.
He surveyed the field stopping to watch the plum trees. He focused on the tallest and oldest tree, apparently planted by a dead great-great grandfather. Tracing up the slanting trunk towards the branches he saw the cooling wind take off the first leaf of the tree. It fell serenely to the ground, large, silky, and an elegant, aristocratic shade of fading purple. He was overcome with awe.
He should have been upset. With trees dying early, his family too, or at least his frail skeleton of a grandfather, or his niece Foliage, still tugging on his pants, would die. It would have upset him, watching his future fall with the leaf, except -
"It's so damn beautiful," Alvin professed from his chapped lips, almost in a whisper. "It's like out of a movie."

Blog Deux - My Soundtrack

My Life Soundtrack
Time - Pink Floyd -
This soothing ditty is not only a great alarm clock and wake up but seems to truly illustrate how mundane each weekday becomes with increasing severity as the school day continues. It perfectly describes the way we are pushed through life.
Zoloft - Ween -
"Give me that Z-O-L-O-F-T" is a great motto for the morning while I sit through that terrible creative writing course taught by that stupid Iowan Hogan... Honestly though, there are certainly those times during the day when I want to be "no longer pissed/you don't bother me"
Rak Po - Hadag Nachash -
Literally in English meaning "Only Here." This upbeat funky groove from one of Israel's premiere bands highlights how Israel is unique, depressing yet home. As a self professed adamant Zionist and former Israeli semi-citizen I recognize much of the song matter. It rings surprisingly true for my feelings about the Twin Cities as well. It would be a great background track for the part of my movie where I'm rolling around with my friends at night in Minneapolis or Hopkins.
Shove This Jay-Oh-Bee - Canibus + Biz Markie -
Biz Markie never fails to provide attitude as this song does. In my movie it would be played at 6 o'clock when I get off of work with the bratty kids at the Jewish Day School. "[They] can S-H-O-V-E that J-O-B" as the song harks.
Guns and Cigarettes - Atmosphere -
Atmosphere raps about his large ambitions. I share large ambitions, while many are different, but the chorus, "I wanna be bigger than Jesus, bigger than wrestling/ Bigger than the Beatles and bigger than breast implants," is a creative way to sum up where I see myself in 5-15 years.
What? - A Tribe Called Quest -
"What?" is a very awkwardly laid out musically, but recently I've been addicted to it. It has many memorable questions i.e. What's a poet all balls no c[l]ock. It preaches to my inquisitive nature and could highlight my nasty side, I think.
Uncle Sam Goddamn - Brother Ali -
Brother Ali is very rebellious and questions the motives of American culture and government. I too have many doubts and questions about our future and while they aren't as extreme as Brother Ali's, they are not always pleasantly worded. This song would show up in the movie at the part when I'm talking back to a teacher or authority figure. It happens.
Mah Na'aseh? - Hadag Nachash -
Mah Na'aseh is an Israeli song/rap by Hadag Nachash with a cult like following. It highlights the issues with youth culture and particularly drugs. A life goal I have is to improve the world and while I think that our youth culture is not evil, we do need to change ourselves a bit to be more conscious of what's going on.
Rainbow - G. Love & Special Sauce -
This song is so damn nice. I listen to it whenever I'm on airplanes for a good reason. Imagine everything the airport resembles. The stuffy, rude, impersonal bureaucracy. This song is exactly the opposite. A nice refreshing song for lunch, or a happy upturn.
Kick Out The Jams - MC5 -
Sometimes I just wanna "Kick out the Jams Mutherf*****"... Pretty self explanitory, I hope.
We Are Not Going To Make It - Presidents Of The United States Of America -
This song would be perfect for after tests at school, or after a band practice sometimes. It's a cute song whose title says it all.
A Wolf At The Door - Radiohead -
Sometimes I feel like there are people out to get me, or that things are going to cave in. This might be good for when I'm doing homework late at night in a montage scene, or when I take out the garbage. For some reason when I'm taking out the garbage I swear everything outside is slowly crawling towards me...
Creep - Radiohead -
Who doesn't ever feel like an outsider? This song might be perfect for walking into AP Euro, there are a lot of socially awkward kids and while it may serve as there anthem I certainly have daily insecurities.
Proceed - The Roots -
At the end of the day, I shall proceed and continue to rock the mic. This is one of thos confidence booster songs, after a good day in class, a good paper, or just a nice moment with friends... Great for walking away after "serving" someone.
Untitled Track 1 - Sigur Ros -
This song's words have no meaning, however in an online contest someone made up a meaning that was very intricate and nice. (look at the summer 2002 competition http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/interact/). Summarizes some nice deep thoughts. I think this song works for falling asleep, it works for me, or illustrating some deep thought I may have.
KRS-One - Sublime -
No one, myself included learns more from school than friends. This is a great hang out song.
When The Music's Over - The Doors -
When the Music's over turn out the lights...

Additional poem

What If... #2

As I ride the bus to the edge of town
I try to keep my eyes fixed down
but I cannot help but take a glance
The abnormal in for me romance

And on the bus to the end of the village
boarded a new sight for my eyes to pillage
A younger man who meant no harm
He had been born without an arm

I couldn't help but gawk in secret
a string of short lived tries to peek it
I wondered how life would be different
missing five important digits

He'd never once play Halo 2
He couldn't put on pants or tie his shoe
Even a clock needs 2 hands for most times but noon
he'd have no "awkward arm" when he'd spoon

And then the thought occurred to me
How god-damned lucky I must be
I have health and wealth and I've been to the zoo
What if I only had one arm too?

Blog 1.5, Tempest Temptress

We could have been content, alone
In our two person world
I could have called you "mine, my own"
Like a sculpture not a - woman

It's not my fault we are apart
You live so far Away
And your friends said what you thought at heart
But, no matter, here I'll - abide

It's funny though, You never knew
To tell me how you felt
I think for all your sureness you
Were afraid that you might - feel vulnerable

And I won't rhyme on my own accord
Because I am on tilt
Even if I'd sunk in a fjord
You'd still bury me in - trash

But alas on me the blame will rest
Though guilt I truly lack
I pushed away the worst and best
I wish I could take it back