Featured, Lifestyle, Poetry For Life, Poetry for Life®, Self-Improvement

Why Poetry and Music Belong Together

By Kelsey Gooden

4 minute read

Melody and rhythm.

Beat and meter.

Music and poetry are eternally woven together throughout both art forms.

This blend dates back centuries before we sought out the poetry of Kendrick Lamar or the musicality of Ocean Vuong’s poems. Our most ancient ancestors often blended oral traditions with harmonies and instruments much like these artists and millions more do today. Now, as we search for creative inspiration and significance in this modern world, we almost expect these two mediums to be melded into every song and poem we experience. Almost instinctively, avid readers and music lovers hunt for storytelling, imagery, and a fitting melody to flow through our bodies and make the words, written or sung, felt. This blend is expected because of the shared foundation both art forms have.

Poetry and music are two branches of the same artistic tree. They spark emotion and grant comfort through truth and brave vulnerability. Together or apart, each form gives the audience a chance to remember their humanity.

From sound devices to bold social commentary, let’s take a closer look at the other characteristics that poetry and music have in common, along with some amazing examples.

Why Poetry and Music Are Naturally Connected

1. Rhythm and Flow

Structured rhythm is a component of both media. But where poetry uses meter, stresses, and syllabic patterns to create it, music uses beat, tempo, and melody. A strong rhythmic flow, however, can exist in either realm. This is why some poems sound like music, and some music can sound wildly poetic. When a piece has a solid structural rhythm, it simply flows at a pace that suits the material.

2. Emotional Storytelling

Poetic songwriting almost demands a story of depth, honesty, and passion. When a story is told with conviction and truth, we’re able to feel it in our bones. Even if just for a moment, it becomes a part of us like the bridge to our favorite song. Music amplifies emotions through melody, while poetry amplifies them through language. Yet they both have an unspoken desire to be a powerful vehicle for stories that shift our perspectives and broaden our horizons.

3. Sound Devices

Alliteration, assonance, consonance, and repetition are all used in song lyrics and in poetry. They drive a point home and help us remember the memorable lines that become quotes we sing in the shower or repeat to ourselves in hard times.

4. Cultural and Social Commentary

Both music and poetry investigate the human experience. Universal experiences like love and loss, heartbreak and social injustice, identity and heritage are all common themes throughout charts and anthologies.