Song or Poetry?

Poetry and songwriting are not always the same.  Although verse is loosely defined in the same way, they can differ greatly. 

When you write song lyrics you should always keep in mind the music that drives the words.  Even though you may not write the notes yourself and may, in fact, send the words to someone else to create the tune, the words have to flow.  That means that there should be no break in thought so that the meaning is made clear to the listener.

Poetry can be structured or unstructured.  Songs can have the same similarities, but they are always structured so that the words and music paint a picture.  While poetry can leave unfinished business in the reader’s mind, music lovers want a beginning, middle and an end.

When you have decided the thought or idea for your song, try it in a couple of different writing styles to see which works best.  You can write in rhyming verse or non-rhyming.  The choice is up to you and depends on your thought processes and writing style. 

Let’s say you want to write about love, for instance.  Your first two lines could read like this:

I had a true love

A sign from above

See how the rhyme sets the cadence for the entire song?  You could also write the same thought in these words:

Once I had a love

He beckoned from afar

With the second type of writing you could rhyme in this way:

I never knew he’d be

A bright and shining star

These words are silly, but you get the idea.  Also, there are songs that follow a different pattern, and although they don’t necessarily rhyme, they do tie up the thought.  For example”

The moon was bright the sky was dark

When he rode into town

He tied his horse at the hitching post

Entered the bar alone

You will tie the thought up as you continue to write, but right now this paints the beginning of a scene in the listener’s mind.

Whatever your style of verse, poetry can be turned into song with a little tweaking.  All poets are not good songwriters and vice versa.  They are different animals.  Although a poet may create beautiful scenery and pictures in the mind of the reader, a songwriter makes the listener feel the words in a different way.  Both can be masters of the written word.  Just be sure as a songwriter your intended audience is feeling the vibe.