Question

[quesarah]

The poetry meme got me thinking about my tendency (as a visual learner) to lock on to poems or song lyrics with a strong visual component. One line or couplet can lock an image in my mind, and off I go constructing a complete narrative around that image.

One of my faves is from a Liz Phair song called "It's Sweet." The song itself is a wistful ode to a naive man who's making more out of their affair than she is. She allows herself to enjoy the infatuation and he, recognizing her cynicism, tries to minimize it. The bridge is what makes the song for me; just one line, in a halting syncopated rhythm to set it apart from the rest of the lyric:

In the early light I catch you staring, and you make a joke about it

I see that scene, and because I see it my imagination is captured by the song.

Another one, from Wilco's Hidden Track on the Summerteeth album:

The ashtray says you've been up all night

Jeff Tweedy rocks my socks.

So, curious: do any of you have a line or couplet (not a verse, that's not what I'm referring to) that captures your imagination in this way? If so, share please.

Comments

[sionnain.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I have a lot of those:

I love the way you smile at me, I love the way your hands reach out and hold me near from "Elsewhere" by Sarah McLachlan

and from Grace Griffith's version of "Demeter's Daughter"
There he stood with his face like coal , his eyes as dark as night in hell, and there he stood with face like fire, saying "fair lady, I wish you well."

In that version of the myth, Persephone is in love with Hades and runs to the underworld with him. It gives me the chills when I hear it!

And from my favorite song ever, Brother my Cup is Empty by Nick Cave:

And please sir make it whiskey, I have no head for wine

[biogeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

Ah nice.