Difference Between Poetry and Song (2024)

Poetry vs Song

On the onset, there does not seem to be any difference between poetry and song. After all, there are a number of different lyrics used in songs that have been derived from poetry. Take for instance, the Star Spangled Banner, which is the National Anthem of the United States. The lyrics of the song were actually derived from the poem of the same title, and written by the poet Francis Scott Key. Also, both poetry and song are literary poems that deal with the emotions of a particular individual, regarding a particular instance or situation. Furthermore, poetry verses and the lines of a song often follow a rhyming scheme, giving a sense of melody to the verses, even when the lines are merely recited.

However, literary experts would be quick to correct you regarding this. In fact, they would be able to pinpoint a number of differences between verses from a poem and verses from a song. One difference is the content. While both literary forms delve into a person’s emotions, the verses in a song will often evoke human emotions pertaining to personal experiences. On the other hand, the verses of a poem are written based on the emotions felt by an individual, regarding their perception of different situations, events, people, or places.

Another major difference between poetry and song is the meaning and message they try to convey. The meaning and message found in most songs, especially those songs that are composed today, are pretty direct and straight to the point. In fact, there is not much thought and analysis needed, on the part of the listener, to determine what the song is all about. In the case of poetry, poets will often utilize a variety of different figurative forms of speech in order to convey a particular message. It is for this reason, that many times, the message of the poem may not often be what it appears to be. As such, it takes quite some time to carefully analyze a particular poem in order to get into the meaning of the poem itself.

Finally, there is the manner on how poems and songs are appreciated. In the case of poetry, the appreciation of the poem comes from the careful analysis of the wording of the poem itself. This includes the play of words, the rhyming scheme, use of figurative forms of speech, and the like. On the other hand, songs are mostly appreciated based on the accompanying music. A song may have extremely simple lyrics, but would be considered as a great song based on how the accompanying music is mixed and arranged. It is also dependent on the manner which the recording artist delivers the song.

Summary

1. Both poetry and song are literary works that are characterized by the use of verses and rhyming words, that are created as a result of the emotions experienced by the writer.
2. Of the two, poems are considered to be more in-depth than songs, because of the presence of ‘flowery’ words and figurative forms of speech.
3. Poems are appreciated by the manner in which the verses are written. Songs are mostly appreciated based on the accompanying music, and the manner in which the song is sung by the singer.