A Poem For Your Thoughts

Bob Dylan: Lay, Lady, Lay

April 20, 2018

Welcome back to A Poem For Your Thoughts! This week we take a trip to the poetry we often overlook: musical lyrics. No need to waste your time wallowing in the intro, let’s dive right in! Each edition will include two poems, the first being a featured piece written by a famous poet that will be analyzed and interpreted according to my point of view. Of course, everyone’s interpretation is different and valid, and the comment section will be open for any further discussion. The second piece is written by yours truly and will be open to complete interpretation and analysis. Go forth, enjoy, and as you read, remember: “It is not what you look at that matters, it is what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau

Poem One: Lay, Lady, Lay by Bob Dylan

Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed.

Whatever colors you have in your mind

I’ll show them to you and you’ll see them shine

Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed.

Stay, lady, stay, stay with your man awhile.

Until the break of day, let me see you make him smile

His clothes are dirty but his hands are clean

And you’re the best thing that he’s ever seen

Stay, lady, stay, stay with your man awhile.

Why wait any longer for the world to begin?

You can have your cake and eat it too.

Why wait any longer for the one you love,

When he’s standing in front of you?

Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed.

Stay, lady, stay, stay while the night is still ahead.

I long to see you in the morning light

I long to reach for you in the night

Stay, lady, stay, stay while the night is still ahead.

Thoughts: Bob Dylan is one of the greatest artists of our time, so it was difficult to choose which song I wanted to analyze. Dylan tackles huge social issues, the changing world around us, love, and growth in his music; there is never a dull or meaningless lyric. This song, in particular, is one of his more simple and contented pieces, but that does not take from the beauty of it whatsoever. There is not too much to analyze here because Dylan is pretty explicit in his message: he’s in love and wants his lady to stay with him through the night. Simple as it may be, Bob Dylan certainly tugs on the heartstrings with this set of lyrics. He describes his love as “the best thing that he’s ever seen” and his intentions in longing for her are pure and good even if they aren’t initially interpreted that way (“his clothes are dirty but his hands are clean”). The biggest aspect of ambiguity is the question of whether the woman loves Dylan back or not, due to the line “Why wait any longer for the one you love / When he’s standing in front of you?”. I think its irrelevant in the face of this poem’s lovely artistry and emotional display of affection. Truly one of Dylan’s best.

Poem Two: Turning Green by D.C.

Oh, happy as can be as I go a’floatin

Down the river bend, its turning green!

Colors are much brighter, he’s really looking frightened now

Just because everything is turning green!

Follow me into the field a’dancin

From the forest musk into the flowers we play!

Just like children in the sun, I knew you couldn’t take “just one”

The whole world looks much better when it’s green!

We don’t have much time at all before the giants stomp their feet,

Bless my soul, fill your bowl with the candy from the field!

Let’s make haste and have our fun before it’s up in smoke,