In this very personal TEDTalk, Jorge Drexler discusses the relationship between poetry and music and how the two when intertwined help shape one's identity. In his discussion, he examines the historical foundations of "the decima," a traditional ten-line stanza of poetry that is rooted in Spanish culture. It is from "the decima" that the popular song form generally consists of forty-four lines (an introductory four-line stanza followed by four ten-line stanzas).
*As this presentation is in Spanish, you will need to have the closed-captioning or subtitles turned on.
The publication of the Anthology of Rap by Yale University Press and the presentation of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature to Bob Dylan are recent examples of the revitalization of conceptual connections between music and poetry. Though traditional poems have been adapted into songs for centuries, only recently have critics begun to view work originally composed for musical purposes as a form of literature itself, thus opening a gateway to poetry for students by relating the form to the familiar medium of music.
Essential Questions
These are not questions to complete, but serve as questions to guide our thinking.
Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Assignment:
As a wrap-up to an introductory unit on poetry and poetic devices, I am asking students to apply their knowledge of various poetic techniques to popular song lyrics and draw connections between the two forms.
What is your favourite song?
After deciding upon your favourite song, I would like you to provide me with the (written) lyrics to this song -whether it is rock, alternative, rap, classical, gospel, country, pop, hip hop, jazz, etc. Then complete the "Song Analysis Worksheet" that is provided in the [ File ] link below.
*As this presentation is in Spanish, you will need to have the closed-captioning or subtitles turned on.
The publication of the Anthology of Rap by Yale University Press and the presentation of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature to Bob Dylan are recent examples of the revitalization of conceptual connections between music and poetry. Though traditional poems have been adapted into songs for centuries, only recently have critics begun to view work originally composed for musical purposes as a form of literature itself, thus opening a gateway to poetry for students by relating the form to the familiar medium of music.
Essential Questions
These are not questions to complete, but serve as questions to guide our thinking.
- What is the relationship between music and poetry?
- How has the relationship between music and poetry evolved in recent years?
- Is music a form of literature? Why or why not?
Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Recognize metrical rhythm in poetry.
- Identify poetic devices in song lyrics.
- Analyze themes of song lyrics and poetry.
- Determine a relationship between music and poetry.
- Judge the poetic merit of a song.
- Compare approaches to theme in poetry and song.
Assignment:
As a wrap-up to an introductory unit on poetry and poetic devices, I am asking students to apply their knowledge of various poetic techniques to popular song lyrics and draw connections between the two forms.
What is your favourite song?
After deciding upon your favourite song, I would like you to provide me with the (written) lyrics to this song -whether it is rock, alternative, rap, classical, gospel, country, pop, hip hop, jazz, etc. Then complete the "Song Analysis Worksheet" that is provided in the [ File ] link below.
song_analysis_worksheet.docx |
*As always if there are any questions or concerns, please post them on this website by clicking on the "Comments" tab (as your question(s) may help others); otherwise, email me your assignment at: [email protected]