Select a song or songs with lyrics that you feel qualify as poetry. Use what you have read about the nature of poetry to explain why these lyrics are poems. You can discuss the themes, speaker/s, figures of speech, word choice/repetition, focused emotional impact, etc. present in your lyrics. In other words, say how your song paints pictures with words and references to express meaning in a way that is emotionally impactful/powerful. Don’t just summarize, but explain how the lyrics creatively express meaning and generate feeling.
You will also need two additional sources other than the song. These sources should help to show how your lyrics are using the element of poetry you are arguing for. They can either be directly about the song, or they can be about the elements of poetry you are discussing. You will need to cite the songs and other sources on a works cited page in alphabetical order. The song is your primary source-the thing you are writing about. The other sources are secondary sources-sources with information about your song/elements of poetry.
In other words, say how your song paints pictures with words and references to express meaning in a way that is emotionally impactful/powerful. Don’t just summarize, but explain how the lyrics creatively express meaning and generate feeling. So, in other words. Your essay should be arguing how/why your song lyrics qualify as poetry. Then, find three elements of poetry present in your lyrics that best prove how/why your song lyrics qualify as poetry.
Grading Guidelines:
100 Point Essay:
20 points for a clear thesis statement that provides a roadmap to your essay
60 points for quotations, descriiptions, evidence that connect to your thesis statement (what lyrics prove your larger point? what sources help prove your proof?)
10 points for grammar/spelling/editing
10 points for correct citations in-text and in works cited (For this paper you must at least three sources: your primary source (the song) and at least ion two secondary sources (sources which provide information about your artist, song, or genre of music, etc.).
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