Lost: Song & Poem

From Wikipedia.org:

"In music theory about musical form, the term through-composed means that the music is relatively continuous, non-sectional, and/or non-repetitive. A song is said to be through-composed if it has different music for each stanza of the lyrics."

This song is not through composed, but it's a non traditional format. The lay out of the lyrics would allow for through composition.

I don't typically write songs/poems in a blatantly evangelical vein. Hell, I don't typically write about anything blatantly. This piece is a possible exception.

I wrote it in high school. I was concerned that one of my friends might be contemplating suicide and I wrote this piece imaging what her life was like at that point. What had happened to her that, at such a young age, she felt so hopeless? I wrote this piece, almost exactly as it appears below, and showed it to her. I remember, she cut out the poem from the paper it was written on and put it on her binder.

I am happy to report that she is alive and well and I keep in touch with her periodically.

I had always intended for this piece to be a song, which is odd, because it's not written in a typical verse/chorus/verse/bridge/chorus format. Instead, it is ALMOST through composed. I say almost because it does have a verse repeated, more like a chorus, before the denouement.

I started a band in 1998, after my high school band (Five Minutes Cooler) broke up, called Royalty Wears Thorns. We were experimental, loud, and pretty much reviled. But people liked this song. It was our set closer and would usually climax with me ripping the strings off of my guitar and then smashing it to the ground. Those days were fun. I've been in four bands, and Royalty Wears Thorns has by far been my favorite.

I don't know what key this is in. I didn't pay attention to things like that in those days, but I could probably figure it out. My part, the jangly arpeggiated part, was played on a wafer thin danelectro guitar with the tone on high. For any tabbers out there, the tuning is DADGAD.

Below is first the original version of the poem, followed by the lyrics adapted for song and, below that, a video for the song so that you can hear the music, if you are so inclined.

I find the subtle changes between the poem and the song to be fascinating. For example "Love from Above" in the original is changed to "LIght from Above." God poetry should be rhythmic, but music has to be, so the lyrics within that have to have a rhythm to them as well. I like the lyrical liberties that The Sub Con made with this piece. I think it's stronger as a result.

Thanks for reading and enjoy.

Alone she walks, finding her place among the streets. Alone she walks on poisoned feet. The pain in her heart won't go away. She stands on a bridge and looks down into the water and she cries. A little piece dies. She can't escape the demons that have her. Will she awaken in a pool of her own blood? Will she escape to the One who is Love?

I watch her from afar and say a silent prayer for her. I see her scars as she walks away and-- for a moment--I am stirred. She won't take my hand. She can't remember the One she used to love. The One who shines down Light from Above.

Help her through this! She blasphemes you now with the shake of her fist. She can't grasp just who You are. She can't grasp just who she is. Her mind is a locked gate, like her heart. But I have faith! You have done greater things! She will come crawling to You on scabby knees. The Love from Above.

all rights reserved. Copyright 1997, Justin W. Price

Alone she walks, to find her place among the streets. So alone and walking around on poisoned feet. She won't see another day.

The fear in her heart won’t go away. She stands on a bridge and looks down into the

water and she cries. A little piece has died.

The fear in her heart won’t go away. She stands on a bridge and looks down into the water and she cries. A little piece dies. She can't escape the spirits that have her. Will she awaken in a pool of her own blood? Or will she go to the One who is Love?

I watch her from afar and say a silent prayer for her. She shows me her scars and she walks away and-- for the moment--I am stirred.

I don’t understand why he won't take my hand. Can't she remember the boy that she used to love. The boy that showed her the Light from Above.

God, help her through this! She blasphemes You now with the shake of a fist. She can't grasp just who You are.

Her mind is locked like the gate of her heart. But I have faith! You have done greater things! And Your will shall be done. And she will come crawling on scabby knees.

I watch her from afar and say a silent prayer for her. She shows me her scars and she walks away and-- for the moment--I am stirred.

I don’t understand why he won't take my hand. Can't she remember the boy that she used to love. The boy that showed her the Light from Above.

The Light from Above.

all rights reserved. copyright 2000. Justin W. Price/Paul Hedrick