In my English class, we have a project where we have to analyze the tone of a song performed by more than one artist. My partner and I chose "I Shot the Sheriff" performed by Bob Marley/Eric Clapton. Now, we also need to find a poem that somehow relates to this song, and I can't find any poems that carry a similar theme. Here's a link to lyrics for the song

[www.lyricsfreak.com]

Can anyone reccomend any poems that relate to this song? Thanks!

Metalface, as I have told numerous students here. Whenever a teacher gives you an assignment such as this, find the LEAST familiar form first and then try to match it with the form most familiar to you. What you probably should have done is to take a poem with which are familiar, and then try to find a song that matches that poem.

But since you've alread decided on this song, I'll see what shows up on the seach engines. Good luck with your project.

Les

Les-

You mean take something like 'The Road Not Taken' and match it up with, say, 'You can go your own way' (Fleetwood Mac) and 'The Long and Winding Road' (the Beatles)?


I think it's probably a safe bet to assume that most students (people in general) are more familiar with popular music than even the most well-known poetry.



Jack

Exactly, Jack. Having given the assignment which a student hears as this: "Match a song to a poem." The first thing they think of is a good song. But, little do they know that songs and poems usually have far different themes. Also, most young people have read FAR fewer poems, so they have a limited data base. Anyway, I doubt that many of the students will take my advice, so we'll just have to help them as best we can.

Here's a poem to match with the Bob Marley song which might make for an interesting comparison:

Cain and Abel

Western Version


Cain and Abel were brothers born.
(Koop-la! Come along, cows!)
One raised cattle and one raised corn.
(Koop-la! Come along! Co-hoe!)

And Cain he farmed by the river-side,
So he did not care how much it dried.

For he banked, and he sluiced, and he ditched and he led
(And the Corn don't care for the Horn)--
A-half Euphrates out of her bed
To water his dam' Corn!

But Abel herded out on the plains
Where you have to go by the dams and rains.

It happened, after a three-year drought,
The wells, and the springs, and the dams gave out.

The Herd-bulls came to Cain's new house
(They wanted water so!--)
With the hot red Sun between their brows,
Sayin' "Give us water for our pore cows!"
But Cain he told 'em--"No!"

The Cows they came to Cain's big house
With the cold white Moon between their brows,
Sayin' "Give some water to us pore cows!"
But Cain he told 'em--"No?"

The li'l Calves came to Cain's fine house
With the Evenin' Star between their brows,
Sayin' "'Give us water an' we'll be cows."
But Cain he told 'em--"No!"

The Herd-bulls led 'em back again,
An' Abel went an' said to Cain: --
"Oh sell me water, my brother dear,
Or there will be no beef this year."
And Cain he answered--"No! "

"Then draw your hatches, my brother true,
An' let a little water through."
But Cain he answered: -"No!

"My dams are tight an' my ditches are sound,
An' not a drop goes through or round
Till she's done her duty by the Corn.

"I will not sell, an' I will not draw,
An' if you breach, I'll have the Law,
As sure as you are borne! "

Then Abel took his best bull-goad,
An' holed a dyke on the Eden road.

He opened her up with foot an' hand,
An' let Euphrates loose on the land.

He spilled Euphrates out on the plain,
So's all his cattle could drink again.

Then Cain he saw what Abel done--
But, in those days, there was no Gun!

So he made him a club of a hickory-limb,
An' halted Abel an' said to him: --

"I did not sell an' I did not draw,
An' now you've breached I'll have the Law.

"You ride abroad in your hat and spurs,
Hell-hoofin' over my cucumbers!

"You pray to the Lord to send you luck
An' you loose your steers in my garden-truck:

"An' now you're bust, as you ought to be,
You can keep on prayin' but not to me!"

Then Abel saw it meant the life;
But, in those days, there was no Knife:

So he up with his big bull-goad instead,
But--Cain hit first and dropped him dead!

The Herd-bulls ran when they smelt the blood,
An' horned an' pawed in that Red Mud.
The Calves they bawled, and the Steers they milled,
Because it was the First Man Killed;
An' the whole Herd broke for the Land of Nod,
An' Cain was left to be judged by God!

But, seein' all he had had to bear,
I never could call the Judgment fair!

Rudyard Kipling


Les

The Man He Killed

"Had he and I but met
By some old ancient inn,
We should have sat us down to wet
Right many a nipperkin!

"But ranged as infantry,
And staring face to face,
I shot at him as he at me,
And killed him in his place.

"I shot him dead because--
Because he was my foe,
Just so: my foe of course he was;
That's clear enough; although

"He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,
Off-hand like--just as I--
Was out of work--had sold his traps--
No other reason why.

"Yes; quaint and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat if met where any bar is,
Or help to half-a-crown."

-- Thomas Hardy.

Fear

I am your fear.
-I grip you in the night.
-I hold you when you are alone.
You may know of me,
For you have faced me in the past.
You cannot defeat me-
I am part of you,
And always will be.
It is I who makes your blood run cold.
It is I who makes your hair stand on end.
They tell you worry will kill you,
But I gave birth to your worry,
So indirectly,
I kill you.

James Grengs

the battle

as we fight
what do we find
as we stare into the eyes of another man
who we have just killed

we find that he is you
different face
different figure
but still a family man

you can hear the cheering
as he left to fight
from his little town
like you

we are all just people
our blood is that of man
we must never
take what we made

we must leave the farmer to sow the seeds
of the next
the next men set to die
for honour

as they meet
face to face
they will
see each other

lay down your guns
raise your hands
and to the heavens scream
enough

enough men dead
enough coffins
enough bullets fired in vein
enough fighting

we are nothing but men
we have nothing but breath left
but as long as we have breath
my mind will carry on

with all your force you will not kill me
in body i will die
in voice i will haunt you
for your sins

for your sins
thou shalt rot
in the fires of your mind
for your sins boy

Matthew Routledge

Thanks to everyone who has responded! You've been incredibly helpful.