Bob Dylan, America’s Poet

Congratulations Mr. Bob Dylan – Nobel Prize Winner!!

Much is being made of a song writer winning the Nobel Prize for literature… well in my opinion Mr. Bob Dylan is a poet without compare.  Poems in ancient times were meant to be song or performed, and if Mr. Dylan has this ability to perform his poetry, in my opinion it is no less wonderful poetry.  Poetry should make us think, and feel. We should see depth and define our own meaning to poems.  One of my favorite Dylan poems follows:

My Back Pages

Bob Dylan

 

Crimson flames tied through my ears

Rollin’ high and mighty traps

Pounced with fire on flaming roads

Using ideas as my maps

“We’ll meet on edges, soon,” said I

Proud ’neath heated brow

Ah, but I was so much older then

I’m younger than that now

 

Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth

“Rip down all hate,” I screamed

Lies that life is black and white

Spoke from my skull. I dreamed

Romantic facts of musketeers

Foundationed deep, somehow

Ah, but I was so much older then

I’m younger than that now

 

Girls’ faces formed the forward path

From phony jealousy

To memorizing politics

Of ancient history

Flung down by corpse evangelists

Unthought of, though, somehow

Ah, but I was so much older then

I’m younger than that now

 

 A self-ordained professor’s tongue

Too serious to fool

Spouted out that liberty

Is just equality in school

“Equality,” I spoke the word

As if a wedding vow

Ah, but I was so much older then

I’m younger than that now

 

In a soldier’s stance, I aimed my hand

At the mongrel dogs who teach

Fearing not that I’d become my enemy

In the instant that I preach

My pathway led by confusion boats

Mutiny from stern to bow

Ah, but I was so much older then

I’m younger than that now

 

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats

Too noble to neglect

Deceived me into thinking

I had something to protect

Good and bad, I define these terms

Quite clear, no doubt, somehow

Ah, but I was so much older then

I’m younger than that now

2 thoughts on “Bob Dylan, America’s Poet”

  1. Great stuff!
    Complex poetry set to music allows (sometimes requires?) repeated listening to decipher a meaning, but not necessarily THE meaning. The enduring beauty of his works, and those of other similarly talented songwriters, is discovering nuances and sometimes entirely new interpretations and hues as we age, mature and experience life. These are gifts that just keep giving.

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