Music is often used as a form of therapy, we turn to it when we are feeling down or when we just want to forget about everything and just dance. We know every lyric, pause and break in a song, but what we fail to realize is that music is poetry. To sum it all up it is poetry with a nice beat and captivating hook. The themes and tones of many songs and poems often complement each other. It can be the most overplayed song such as Nicki Minaj’s “Moment for Life”, that can have a great connection to two poems like “A Dream within a Dream” and “Alzheimer’s.” This song and these two poems share a theme of savoring the moment and share a tone of optimism.
“A Dream within a Dream” brilliantly written by Edgar Allen Poe is a favorite of mine. It depicts dreams and how they tend to slip away. We live in a real world but we prefer fantasies because they are ours and go accordingly to how we view them. The line “And I hold within my hand grains of the golden sand. How few! Yet how they creep through my fingers to the deep…” is one of my favorites in the poem. All these hopes, dreams and even memories we have, we so badly want to hold on to but we can’t. In Poe’s poem he talks about losing something he had which appears to be a partner. He says “Take this kiss upon the brow, and it parting from you now, thus much let me avow” which is his way of declaring a good-bye. He talks about departing from her and questions if what they had was real. He wants to hold on to it so badly, but it’s slipping away from him. This poem relates so much to the song because both poet and lyricist are holding on to a dream (PoemHunter).
Alzheimer’s is a disease closely associated with dementia. It is characterized by memory loss, confusion and emotional instability. The hardest part about having Alzheimer’s is not being able to remember the most enjoyable highlights of your life. The poem “Alzheimer’s” by Kelly Cherry follows an old man who obviously has the disease. He remembers parts of his younger years but not his wife. This poem may act as a counter point to the theme savoring the moment, but it actually contributes to it. Alzheimer’s is all about memory loss, but there are still parts in one’s life that are clearer than say what one did yesterday. In the poem the old man, “remembers the walkway he built in between the front room and the garage, the rhododendron he planted in back” (16-17); these were significant moments that the old man remembered. Alzheimer’s victims tend to remember moments most dearest to them. These are moments that they savor because they are historically great and memorable.
The song “Moment for Life” talks about finally living a dream and wanting to savor that moment for life. It is about appreciating and holding on to the little moments because we do not know how long they will last. Nicki Minaj is a fairly new rapper who has become a mainstream phenomenon. She went from rapping on mix tapes to selling millions of albums and going on sold out tours. This was her dream and it has become real and she wants to hold on to it as long as she can. Throughout the song there is the use of rhyme scheme, in one particular line she says. “I wish that I could have this moment for life, because in this moment I just feel so alive”, which reassures the listener that this time in her life and career is huge (MetroLyrics). No one wants to see their dream deferred, so that is why a perfect theme is savoring the moment. In the song she talks about how she came from a neighborhood in Queens and now she is in Hollywood. Her tone is appreciative but yet optimistic, she’s eager to find out what’s next in store for her.
Optimism is a great tone because in both poems and song there’s a sense of curiosity. Poe questions “Is all that we see or seem a dream within a dream?” He’s searching for more. Minaj also demonstrates optimism as she says “And I will retire with the crown, yes!” which is a bit of a stretch considering her reign has just begun. In “Alzheimer’s” when the old man actually remembers it is a sign of optimism. It takes a lot for an Alzheimer’s patient to remember and the ability to remember even for a minute is the most satisfying action. In both poems and the song the tone really stretches the emotion that the writers are trying to give. Minaj is really appreciative of all that she’s accomplished, but she’s not ready to throw in the towel just yet. Poe left his love, but he wants to go on to see what else is out there for him. Cherry provides the old man with the strength to remember. All these writers show optimism in their pieces because they are searching for something more. They may have come to a brick wall, but they are finding a way to move around it.
The themes and songs of many songs often complement each other. Savoring the moment has been a reasonable theme for both poems as song. The tone optimism has also shown to fit well. In a Dream within a Dream by Edgar Allen Poe we see a man departing for his love but being grateful for the moments they shared. His optimism shows as he questions whether his time with her has been a dream. Kelly Cherry shows an old man remembering himself years ago, he savored those special moments of his younger years. In the song Moment for Life, Nicki Minaj raps about how much she’s achieved and how she will forever cherish these moments. All of these works of art show optimism and moments being savored.
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