Metamorsymphosis

English40 lines1 public analyses
Original Poetry
Translation
I'm in a one man band
I'm in a one-person band
In a world with no one to hear me play
In a world where no one hears me play
  Leitmotif frayed and pitch astray
My theme is coming apart and the tune is off
Arrhythmia muffled by the hand
The rhythm is stifled by a hand
Whispers of a tuning fork
Hints of a tuning fork
The harmonics just won't land
The harmonies won't settle
All i see is a gazing "can't"
All I see is a staring 'can't'
With a razor blade as my bow
Using a razor blade as my bow
My arms as violins
My arms are like violins
With my veins ringing like the strings
My veins resonate like strings
For all the watchlings and their kings
For all the watchers and their rulers
Blood and notes
Blood and music
Pouring from what once were human flesh and bones
Flowing from what used to be human flesh and bones
i beg of you
I plead with you
Save me from this resonance caged
Save me from this trapped resonance
Someone release me from my dying stage
Someone free me from my dying stage
Come and take my trembling hand
Come and hold my shaking hand
As the rotting seraphim chant and chant
As decaying angels chant repeatedly
"A heretic's unholy blasphemy will not stand!"
'A heretic's unholy blasphemy will not stand!'
Prayed and ached for a troupe
I longed and suffered for a group
Conducted to that unending loop
Led into that endless cycle
My lower half: a strung-up used guitar
My lower half: a worn-out guitar
Pretentious fingers playing me
Arrogant fingers playing me
Screams of agony turned to melody
Cries of pain turned into music
Note after note
Note by note
Disregarding what I wrote
Ignoring what I had written
A percussive slapwhat a rush
A percussive hit – such a thrill
A hand over my soundhole to shush an-
A hand over my soundhole to silence an-
I'm in a one man band
I'm in a one-person band
Singing my endless rant
Singing my endless complaint
Lashings tick - - - bruising metronome
Beatings mark time - - - bruising metronome
Always with company yet still, no tone
Always with company yet still, no sound
Scales bipolarize: MAJOR to minor
Scales swing: MAJOR to minor
Up and down, back and forth I strum-i break
Up and down, back and forth I strum-I break
My encore locked behind a booing gate
My encore trapped behind a gate of boos
i'm in a one man band
I'm in a one-person band
With no stage, lights or audience
With no stage, lights, or audience
To hear me sulk, play and decay
To hear me lament, play, and decay
Hear the voices shout
Hear the voices shout
"God, finally. For this I prayed!"
'God, finally. For this I prayed!'
 

Explanation

The poem 'Metamorsymphosis' explores the theme of isolation and the struggle for self-expression in a world that seems indifferent. The speaker describes themselves as a 'one man band' in a world where no one listens, highlighting their solitude and the futility of their artistic efforts. The imagery of 'Leitmotif frayed and pitch astray' suggests a loss of direction and harmony, while 'Arrhythmia muffled by the hand' conveys a sense of being stifled or silenced.

The poem uses vivid metaphors, such as 'With a razor blade as my bow' and 'My veins ringing like the strings,' to depict the speaker's body as an instrument of pain and expression. This imagery conveys the intense emotional and physical toll of their artistic struggle, as 'Blood and notes' pour from their being. The plea for rescue from this 'resonance caged' underscores the speaker's desperation for liberation from their self-imposed isolation.

The emotional arc of the poem moves from a sense of entrapment and despair to a plea for salvation and recognition. The tone is one of anguish and longing, as the speaker seeks connection and validation in a world that seems to reject them. The repeated chants of 'A heretic's unholy blasphemy will not stand!' suggest societal condemnation and the struggle against external judgment.

Literary devices such as metaphor, personification, and repetition are used effectively to convey the speaker's inner turmoil. The metaphor of the 'one man band' serves as a powerful symbol of isolation, while the personification of 'rotting seraphim' adds a haunting quality to the poem. Repetition of phrases like 'I'm in a one man band' emphasizes the speaker's persistent solitude.

Overall, the poem reflects on the challenges of artistic expression and the desire for connection in a world that often feels isolating and judgmental. It captures the tension between individual creativity and societal expectations, resonating with anyone who has felt unheard or misunderstood in their creative pursuits.

Word Dictionary14

WordIn EnglishPlain (English)Pron.
Leitmotifrecurring themea repeated theme or idea in music or literatureLite-motif
Arrhythmiairregular rhythma lack of regular rhythmA-rhythmia
harmonicsmusical overtonesmusical notes that are part of the harmonic serieshar-mon-iks
seraphimangelsa type of angelic beingsera-fim
blasphemydisrespect for sacred thingsspeaking or acting against sacred thingsblas-fe-mee
percussiverelated to percussionhaving the quality of percussion instrumentsper-kus-iv
bipolarizeto divide into two extremesto split into two opposite extremesbi-po-lar-ize
metronomedevice for keeping time in musica tool that marks time at a set ratemet-ro-nome
encoreadditional performancean extra performance requested by the audienceon-core
sulkto be silent and gloomyto be quietly upset or moodysulk
chantrepeated singingto sing or say repeatedlychant
pretentioustrying to impressattempting to appear more important or knowledgeable than is the casepre-ten-shus
resonancedeep, full sounda rich and full quality of soundrez-o-nance
tremblingshakingshaking slightly due to fear or excitementtrem-bling

Poet & Context

Poet
EraContemporary

The poet of 'Metamorsymphosis' remains unidentified, suggesting it may be a contemporary work possibly shared online or in niche literary circles.


WhenUnknown
WhyThe poem appears to explore themes of isolation and the struggle for expression, possibly reflecting personal or artistic challenges.
FormFree verse

Themes & More

isolationartistic struggleself-expression
metaphor: The poet uses metaphors like 'razor blade as my bow' to convey the intensity of the artistic struggle.personification: The 'rotting seraphim' are given human-like qualities to emphasize decay and judgment.repetition: The phrase 'I'm in a one man band' is repeated to highlight the speaker's isolation.