Whats The Difference

December 4, 2011 | By Robert In My Writing |

I have often thought to myself what the difference is between Poems and Song Lyrics. So I thought I would put down what I have decided for myself to be true to me as a definition between the two.

I guess that there are probably some Songs that have stood up as Poetry, and there are probably some Poems that have been turned into Songs. So if that is the case then is there really any difference between them. You could say no.

May be the only difference is that Song Lyrics are written with the soul intention of the end product being a Song. Therefore a Poem is written with the intention of the writer that it is a Poem.

On that basis then most of my work has been written as Song Lyrics and not Poems. So whats the difference, really?

Song Lyrics could be described as a set of words that may have some or a lot of repetiton, so may not read well. But supported by music, they may sound great. Where as a Poem may read well on the page and encompass its own sort of music within the words.

So for Song Lyrics to be their own intension they need music for them to work. Poems work in silence.

I think though that either can be converted to the other, with little work needed. I am no expert but the difference to me seems so small that they really could be the same thing. Although that statement might outrage a few people, of which I appologise, please forgive my ignorance it is only my opinion.

So from this I would say that the way in which I have written my work would make them Song Lyrics and not Poems. But you feel free to acknowledge them as you want to, I just enjoy writing them what ever they are.