It Couldn T Be Done Analysis

A constant battle in the world of art is being fought. One particular battle is the argument of poem and song lyrics artistic equality. Many do not believe that poetry is art while songs are not. It is very easy to assume that if a comparison of the two art forms has not been conducted. Without a comparison, one cannot truly conclude whether or not poetry is more artistic than lyrics in songs. The main argument is whether or not song lyrics desire the title of poetry. Is the statement false? Are song lyrics less poetic and artistic than poems? Through a dissection side by side of Rachel Platten’s song “Fight Song” and “It Couldn’t Be Done” by Edgar Guest, the answer to the question surfaces. Based on the use of personification, similes, and

One of the most important things in both songs and poems is the rhyme scheme the artist decides on creating. In the poem, Guest creates a standard rhyme scheme, following the ABABCDCD form, throughout the entire poem. Although this rhyme scheme is a classic and more popular than other forms, it is not always the best choice for every artist. Platten did not create a rhyme scheme that continued throughout her song, but used slant and internal rhyme instead. Slant rhyme is used in the song when Platten places “motion” and “open.” Although the two words do not rhyme perfectly, the flow of the verse continues. In the chorus of “Fight Song,” internal rhyme plays a part as the words “fight,” “alright,” and “right” tie together to create more rhyming. In every written art form, the author tends to make use of metaphors and similes in different ways in order to make their point clear to the audience. Guest believed that to best express what could not be done, he had to use an extended metaphor and the term “it” repeatedly and try, through that, to express what “it” represents. What the song has that the poem does not, is the various uses of metaphors and similes throughout the piece. “Like a small boat / On the ocean” and “Like how a single word / Can make a heart open” (Platten lines 1-2, 5-6) are both similes used to bring the audience a sense of realization of the world. The similarities come to an end and “Fight Song” seems to prove dominance as Platten implanted more poetic devices than Guest into her art. Not only did Platten use all the already listed devices in her song, but she also included personification and hyperbole. The major use of personification in “Fight Song” is “I’m chasing sleep” (Platten line 21). Platten uses a simple hyperbole when saying that she “might only have one match / But I can make an explosion” (Platten lines 7-8). When talking