Journal 23: "G.O.S.P.E.L." by Propaganda (CLICK HERE)
1. Featured Device: Connotation What do you think is the power or connotation? List five words from "Gospel" that would not be as effective if they were replaced by another word that shared the same denotation. For example...if he had used the word "squished" instead of "crushed" in the first line, the effect would remind you of a jellyfish rather than a powerful force.
2-18. Find the devices in the lyrics below.
"G.O.S.P.E.L."
It's the full story of life crushed into four minutes
the entirety of humanity in the palm of your hand, crushed into one sentence
listen, it's intense right (2)
God. Our. Sins. Paying. Everyone. Life.
The greatest story that’s hardly ever told: GOD. Yes. GOD.
The Maker and Giver of Life and by Life I mean any and all manner of substance. (3)
Seen and Unseen. What Can and Can’t Be Touched
Thoughts, Image, Emotions, Love, Atoms and Oceans (4)
GOD.
All of it His handiwork, one of which His Masterpiece,
made so uniquely that Angels look curiously.
The one thing in Creation that was made in His imagery,
a concept so old, it’s the reason I stay bold
GOD breathed into man and he became a living soul,
Formed with the intent of being an infinitely, intimately fond
Creator and Creation held in eternal bond, (5)
And it was placed in perfect paradise till something went wrong.
The species got deceived and started lusting for his job,
an odd list of complaints.Something ain’t working,
and used that same breath He graciously gave us to curse Him. (6)
And that sin seed spread through our soul’s genome, (7)
And by the nature of our nature, your species, you participated in the mutiny. (8)
Our – yes, our sins separate us from GOD.
It’s nature inherited. Blacken the human heart. (9)
It’s over before it started.
Deceived from Day One and led away by our own lust.
There’s not a religion in the world that doesn’t agree that something’s wrong with us.
The question is, what is it and how do we fix it?
Are we eternally separated from a GOD that may or may not have existed?
But that’s another subject.
Let’s keep grinding.
Besides, trying to prove GOD exists is like defending a lion hommie (10)
He don’t need the help.
Just unlock the cage. (11)
Let’s move on, on how our debt can be paid.
Short and sweet:
The problem is sin, yes sin.
It’s a cancer, an asthma, choking out our life force, (12)
forcing separation from a perfect and Holy GOD.
The only way to get back is to get back to perfection but, silly us…
Trying to pass the course of life without referring to a syllabus…this is us. (13)
Heap up your good deeds – chant, pray, meditate.
All of that, of course, is spraying cologne on a corpse.
Or you could choose to ignore it, as if something don’t stink.
It’s like stepping in dog poop and refusing to wipe your shoe,
But all of that ends with how good is good enough?
Take your silly list of good deeds and line them up with perfection – good luck!
That’s life past your pay grade.
The cost of your soul? You don’t got a big enough piggy bank, (14)
but you can give it a shot.
But I suggest you throw away the list
because even your good acts are an extension of your selfishness,
But here’s where it gets interesting,
I hope your closely listening,
and don’t get it twisted. It’s what makes our faith unique.
Here’s what GOD says in Part A of the Gospel,
You can’t fix yourself. Quit trying. It’s impossible.
Sin brings death. Give GOD His breath back. You owe him.
Eternally separated and the only way to fix it is for someone to die in your place.
That someone got to be perfect, or the payment ain’t permanent, (15)
So if and when you find a perfect person,
get him or her to willingly trade their perfection for your sin and indebtment.
Clearly, since the only one that can meet GOD’s criteria, is GOD.
GOD sent Himself as Jesus to pay the cost for us.
His righteousness, His debt functions as payment.
Yes, payment. (16)
He wrote a check with His Life but, at the Resurrection we all cheer,
because that means the check cleared
Pierced feet, pierced hands – blood-stained Son of Man, (17)
Fullness, forgiveness, free passage into The Promised Land.
That same breath that GOD brings into us, GOD gave up to redeem us.
Anyone and everyone, and by everyone, I mean everyone (18)
who puts faith and trust in Him and Him
alone can have full confidence of GOD’s forgiveness.
And here’s what the promise is:
That you are guaranteed full access to return to perfect unity
by simply believing in Christ and Christ alone. You are receiving Life. Yes. Life.
This is the gospel...
God. Our. Sins. Paying. Everyone. Life. (All the references to these words 19)
Journal 24: Villanelle Form
EQ: How can we use format to figure out what the writer is expressing?
Notes
- Villanelle: A French verse form consisting of five three-line stanzas and a final quatrain, with the first and third lines of the first stanza repeating alternately in the following stanzas. These two refrain lines form the final couplet in the quatrain (The Poetry Foundation). The form is newer than Sonnet and has mostly been employed in modern times.
- Etymology
- Italian: villanella: rustic song
- Italian: villano: peasant
- Latin: villanus: farmhand
- Yes, this word is related to villain; bru, ha,ha!
- Some Key Ideas to Consider with a Villanelle
- Any poem featuring a repetition or refrain has special qualities:
- How does each instance of the refrain add meaning to the poem? Perhaps it doesn't, but a great poem builds meaning. Refrains aren't simply included for the sake of form. Decide what the refrain means each time you see it.
- Does the refrain change at all? Even by one word? That is important; consider how the change nuances previously building meaning (synonymous, synthetic, or antithetic?).
- "One Art" Ask yourself: What is the art? Is it hard to master? Has the speaker mastered it? How do you know?
- Short Answer: How does the villanelle format help you to understand what she means?
- Short Answer: What devices could you use to build a case that you understand this poem? Describe.
