Song Vs Poetry

Are songs more poetic than poetry? “This is the most significant way in which songs differ from poems — they 're intended to be heard, while poems for some time have been written primarily for the eye” (Robbins 23). Songs are meant to be heard and in this sense, they are entirely different from poetry, but when it comes down to just words, songs are practically a poem in their own sense. “Many musical artists present their song lyrics as poetry. This reflects not a commercial move on their part, but a desire for the words they write to be taken seriously” (Zapruder 2). Since songs are just like poetry, it raises the question as which one is more poetic. Many people would believe that poetry is more poetic, but the truth is that songs have stemmed

Both the song and the poem have many differences between them through the use of symbolism and allusions in “Cats In The Cradle” as well as the metaphors and personification used in “Exile.” Chapin uses lots of symbolism to express certain ideas and the meaning behind them. He sheds light on this when he says “He shook his head and said with a smile/ ‘What I 'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys See you later, can I have them please’” (Chapin lines 28-30). Chapin uses the idea of the car keys to symbolize his son separating himself from his father and the son is “driving away” or not having time for his father. “Exile” likes to use metaphors instead by making comparisons to express certain ideas. Ostriker uses this when she says “touching the stone of exile” (Ostriker line 19). She compares the time she didn’t spend with her son to being in exile from him. The use of this is is great in helping to get the point across, but she doesn’t use much more of it, not allowing the poem to reach its full potential. Chapin uses allusions to stress the meaning behind certain things. He points to this in the chorus when he says “And the cat 's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon” (Chapin lines 8-9). “Cats in the cradle” is a children’s game, a silver spoon is a christening object, and both “Little Boy Blue” and “The Man In The Moon” are nursery rhymes. These do a great job in showing what the song is about because these are the

Through the use of symbolism, imagery, rhyme, and allusions, the song “Cats In The Cradle” by Harry Chapin shows a more poetic and stylistic nature than the poem “Exile” by Alicia Ostriker. “Cats In The Cradle” and “Exile” share many elements like a common theme, tone, and audience. When it comes to use of poetic devices, they still have many similarities, like rhyme and imagery. Although, when it comes to expressing ideas and showing the true meaning of the piece, Chapin’s use of symbolism and allusions beats out Ostriker’s use of metaphors and personification in the long run. Both pieces of work are great in their own right and poetry is a great thing, but in the end, all the elements of this song put together, especially the use of poetic devices, give more meaning and a much more lasting