The Use of Convention

Music and poetry are often compared as one and the same. After all, a song is just a poem
put to a beat, right? Wrong. The aspects and conventions of a song are different from those of a
poem. Conventions are components of writing that define certain texts. These distinguish the two
similar genres from each other, while maintaining similarities between the two as well.
The obvious similarity between archetypal poetry and song lyrics is the form. Typically,
each consists of a set meter, a constant rhyme scheme, and an often unchanging rhythm. This is
true for Migraine by Twenty One Pilots, but does not apply to the poem Dying is fine)but
Death by E.E. Cummings. The poem strays from conventions of the genre, having no rhyme
scheme, broken lines and choppy stanzas. This is characteristic of Cummings work. Migraine
by Twenty One Pilots and Dying is fine)but Death by E.E. Cummings use conventions to alter
their respective texts, albeit in different ways.
Migraine, a song by a small-time indie band, uses conventions to alter the reception of
the song. Lyrics typically include a rhyme scheme, a set stanza length, and a set rhythm. A hook
is often essential as well. Not every song has a hook, but many do, which is designed to be the
most memorable section of the song. The combination of the hook and other conventions can
determine a songs success. Songs that adhere to the conventions are often more successful than
those that do not.
There are of course, exceptions. Migraine combines poetic lyrics such as I begin to
assemble what weapons I can find,/ 'Cause sometimes to stay alive you got to kill your mind
(azlyrics) with an appealing sound, a solid chorus, and a constant rhyme scheme and meter
throughout the song. The song uses the conventions of song lyrics as well as the content to create
a successful song. While the conventions of a song are solid, the content of the songs and the

stylistic and formal features can be important to the success of the song and its interpretation by
critics and audiences. This is shown in Migraine, but is not always true. Songs with mediocre
lyrics are often made popular due to the fact that they follow all of the conventions of writing a
song.
Poetry, in comparison, is a near opposite. Conventions of poetry have become obsolete in
current poems, and poems that break them are applauded for standing out against the norms of
society. Conventions of classic poetry are no longer integral to a successful poem, but are still
welcome within the sphere of poetry. However, the content and the creativity of the poem are
now the most important factors in creating a successful poem. Dying is fine)but Death, is an
excellent example of this, as it defies the conventions of typical poetry. The quote dying is
fine)but Death/ ?o/ baby/ i/ wouldn't like (Cummings) from the poem shows the number of line
breaks made, even within a word, emphasizing the extent to which a poem can ignore
conventions while focusing on form and still being regarded as a fantastic piece of work.
Dying is fine)but Death does tend to stray from conventions while still being
considered a poem. Dying has no rhyme scheme, no meter, and no clear concept of poetic
convention. Even without these conventions, E.E. Cummings is still considered to be one of the
greatest poets of all time. This showcases a fundamental difference between poetry and song
lyrics, as many songs that ignore convention are not as successful in their own genre as
Cummings is in his. The form of his poems and lack of convention are two of the most
identifiable characteristics of the poet. Cummings ability to completely disregard normality and
create his own style of poem are crucial components of his writing. Where song lyrics are
constricted to a certain form in order to attract an audience, poetry is not. Instead, the poem
revolves largely around the content. Poetry is often defined by the rhetoric and the stylistic

features of the poems, whereas song lyrics are regarded as successful based on the auditory
appeal of the song itself, regardless of the content.
Cummings unique style redefined poetry. His willingness to defy conventions created
new conventions for poetry as he became popular. His new style of poetry changed poetic
conventions. The new conventions followed in his certain style of writing. His avant-garde style
of poetry gained popularity and spread his work to a wide audience. Cummings work affected
the genre of poetry decades after his death.
Migraine uses conventions of the song lyric genre to create a successful song. The song
conforms to the conventions of the genre, adhering to a chorus, a rhyme scheme, and a constant
meter. Dying is fine)but Death does almost the exact opposite. Cummings disregarded
conventions and created his own form of successful poetry. Although he did not adhere to the
conventions which are emphasized so adamantly, he was still an extremely successful poet,
demonstrating that poetry is a more abstract genre. He used the form of his poetry to grab the
reader without having to follow conventions. Migraine and Dying is fine)but Death are both
excellent examples of the effects conventions have on the success of different texts.

"Migraine Lyrics." Twenty One Pilots. azlyrics, n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.
Cummings, E.E. "Dying Is Fine)but Death." Genius. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.