STC: Please Read the Letter that I Wrote

So here is my new favorite song.

I thought it would be good fodder for a challenge.

While they have definite poetic moments, the lyrics by themselves are not terrific poetry, but the thing is, they don't have to be. The benefit of songwriting is the melody, the undertones, the interaction between voice and instrument, the emotion in the singer's voices... they all add to the mood and meaning of the song.

When we write we have to magically inject the same, to get the mood and meaning across with the written word alone.

I hope you listen to the song and read the lyrics before starting the challenge (details below)

Please Read the Letter
Artist: Page & Plant
Album: Walking Into Clarksdale

Caught out running - just a little too much to hide
Baby baby, everything's gonna work out fine
Please read the letter - I nailed it to your door
It's crazy how it all turned out - you needed so much more
Too late to play - the fool can read the signs
Baby baby, you better check between the lines
Please read the letter I wrote in my sleep
With the help and consultation of the angels of the deep

Once I stood beside the well of many words
My house was full of rings and charms and pretty birds
Please understand me - my walls came falling down
There's nothing here that's left for you
But check with Lost and Found

Please read the letter that I wrote
Please read the letter that I wrote

One more song, just before we go
Remember, baby, the things we used to know
Please read my letter and promise me you'll keep
The secrets and the memory to cherish in the deep
Please read the letter that I wrote
Please read the letter that I wrote
Please read the letter that I wrote

Life has not been kind to me as of late in terms of having time to sprawl my thoughtless words across the screen. If time and inspiration coincide, I wanna play. Sounds like a way cool challenge to me.

The_Fool said:

Life has not been kind to me as of late in terms of having time to sprawl my thoughtless words across the screen. If time and inspiration coincide, I wanna play. Sounds like a way cool challenge to me.

Click to expand...

ooooh goodie! I love Fool poems!



I hope you write a letter to me!

I voted 'no way', but I think this song I wrote fits into your guidelines well. I even left the chords in so you can play it to yourself. It's called "Rain Gets In" but it's very 'Please read this letter I wrote you.'

Am-C-F-C
There are lines on her face
where time has left no trace
there's nothing more for her
she's gone and left this place

Am-C-F-C
Now the rain's been getting in
where she had lived with him,
but there's little left of her,
save what she's forgiven

C-F-C-F
E-G
'Cuz this one left the show
before her lines get better, better
and this one's going home
before she's read his letter, letter

Am-C-F-C
He'd come to recall a place
outside of time and taste,
were there nothing more than her,
he'd find little left to chase

Am-C-F-C
Now the rain's been getting in
where she had lived with him,
but there's little left of her,
save what she's forgiven

E-G
'Cuz this one left the show
before her lines get better, better
and this one's going home
before she's read his letter, letter

Bridge: C7-E7-G
This one's left the show,
it's in her heart she's grown
this one's left the show,
it's in her heart she's grown

Epmd607 said:

I voted 'no way', but I think this song I wrote fits into your guidelines well. I even left the chords in so you can play it to yourself. It's called "Rain Gets In" but it's very 'Please read this letter I wrote you.'

Am-C-F-C
There are lines on her face
where time has left no trace
there's nothing more for her
she's gone and left this place

Click to expand...

Sorry you won't be writing a letter poem, but thanks for dropping by to share the song. I think I would need to hear it to feel it. Too predictable word wise.

I know I can go blank sometimes but what's an IM?

ishtat said:

I know I can go blank sometimes but what's an IM?

Click to expand...

Instant Message. She actually meant PM or private message.

annaswirls said:

Sorry you won't be writing a letter poem, but thanks for dropping by to share the song. I think I would need to hear it to feel it. Too predictable word wise.

Click to expand...

Of course it's absolutey uncreative word-wise, it's a song so the lyrics are second to the music and melody. The more poetic I try to get with lyrics the harsher they sound against the melody. Maybe it's just me, but I think song-like qualities in poetry are yucky. Smiths words are routinely the best, but even if you take a bunch of them and read them as if they were poetry they wouldn't sit well. I'm not sure what you're looking for when you ask for song-like and letter-like poetry. Aside from the robert plant song you've shown, it's not a poem, are there examples of poems that fit with your idea?

Epmd607 said:

Of course it's absolutey uncreative word-wise, it's a song so the lyrics are second to the music and melody. The more poetic I try to get with lyrics the harsher they sound against the melody. Maybe it's just me, but I think song-like qualities in poetry are yucky. Smiths words are routinely the best, but even if you take a bunch of them and read them as if they were poetry they wouldn't sit well. I'm not sure what you're looking for when you ask for song-like and letter-like poetry. Aside from the robert plant song you've shown, it's not a poem, are there examples of poems that fit with your idea?

Click to expand...

Yes. Absolutely. I will get back to this tomorrow. Today is booked. I did not intend this to be a song challenge.

You can have rhythm and sound play in poetry without it being song-like.

(of course I know you know this)

At any rate.....

Got the first PM (sorry for the mis-id) hope more come soon

Here is one real quick letter:

Poet: Ezra Pound
Poem: The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter

After Li Po

While my hair was still cut straight
across my forehead
I played at the front gate, pulling
flowers.
You came by on bamboo stilts, playing
horse,
You walked about my seat, playing with
blue plums.
And we went on living in the village of
Chokan:
Two small people, without dislike or
suspicion.

At fourteen I married My Lord you.
I never laughed, being bashful.
Lowering my head, I looked at the wall.
Called to, a thousand times, I never
looked back.

At fifteen I stopped scowling,
I desired my dust to be mingled with
yours
Forever and forever and forever.
Why should I climb the lookout?

At sixteen you departed,
You went into far Ku-to-en, by the river
of swirling eddies,
And you have been gone five months.
The monkeys make sorrowful noise
overhead.

You dragged your feet when you went
out,
By the gate now, the moss is grown,
the different mosses,
Too deep to clear them away!
The leaves fall early this autumn, in
wind.
The paired butterflies are already
yellow with August
Over the grass in the West garden;
They hurt me. I grow older.
If you are coming down through the
narrows of the river Kiang,
Please let me know beforehand,
And I will come out to meet you
As far as Cho-fu-sa.

"Please read the letter I wrote to the children Agnes. Lily and Jack are always on my mind. Just a PC to say my love Agnes and tell the little ones for me."

This is an exact quotation from a post card sent by my wife's great grandfather to his wife in August 1915.

The next day the battle of Loos en Gohelle started. Private Jack Allan was reported missing presumed dead and never seen again. His entire company was killed.

ishtat said:

"Please read the letter I wrote to the children Agnes. Lily and Jack are always on my mind. Just a PC to say my love Agnes and tell the little ones for me."

This is an exact quotation from a post card sent by my wife's great grandfather to his wife in August 1915.

The next day the battle of Loos en Gohelle started. Private Jack Allan was reported missing presumed dead and never seen again. His entire company was killed.

Click to expand...

very poignant

I've got an idea - see if it jells.
Knowing me alliteration should be no problem, other more work.

ishtat said:

"Please read the letter I wrote to the children Agnes. Lily and Jack are always on my mind. Just a PC to say my love Agnes and tell the little ones for me."

This is an exact quotation from a post card sent by my wife's great grandfather to his wife in August 1915.

The next day the battle of Loos en Gohelle started. Private Jack Allan was reported missing presumed dead and never seen again. His entire company was killed.

Click to expand...

oh my lord, that is just awful.

Do you have the postcard? How wonderful he got to say goodbye at least...

War
Sucks
Always did
Always will

Please write a poem about the letter he mentions in the postcard....

Second poem: received.

Keep em comin'

June 4th is coming soon.

I have yet to write mine.

I like my letters written on my belly
with sticky substances
it just never translates

oh here is another letter song I forgot about before google brought it to me

Dear God - XTC

Dear God, hope you got the letter and ...
I pray you can make it better down here
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
But all the people that you made in your image
See them starving on their feet
'Cause they don't get enough to eat from
God,
I can't believe in you

Dear God, sorry to disturb you but ...
I feel that I should be heard loud and clear
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your image
See them Þghting in the street
'Cause the can't make opinions meet about
God
I can't believe in you

Did you make disease and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you?
And the devil too!

Dear God don't know if you've noticed but ...
Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book
And us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look
And all the people that you made in your image
Still believing this junk is true
Well I know it ain't, and so do you, dear God
I can't believe in
I don't believe in

I won't believe in heaven and hell
No saints, no sinners, no devil as well
No pearly gates, no thorny crown
You're always letting us humans down
The wars you bring, the babes you drown
Those lost at sea and never found
And it's the same the whole world 'round
The hurt I see helps to compound
That Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Is just somebody's unholy hoax
And if you're up there you'd perceive
That my heart's here upon my sleeve
If there's one thing I don't believe in

It's you
Dear God

today is ze last day my pretties

send em in

I would like to see more penis in this thread.

If you want to look at penises who am I to question it ....... whatever floats your boat

i didn't realise penii could read.

just this one

i'm impressed

just what every woman needs ............. not ........ a talking cock