A few years ago, pop poets such as Murray Lachlan Young began to set poetry to rock music with some surprising results. People thought that poetry was the new rock 'n' roll. However, despite the brief popularity of a few pop poets, poetry and pop music didn't seem to mix. But are they really so different? If you look back at the origins of poetry, there is a strong connection between poems and popular music. In Greek mythology, for example, the muse   Erato is pictured with a lyre   in her hand, and looks just like the ancestor of the modern rock star with his electric guitar. In addition, the poets Shelley and Byron were as famous in the nineteenth century as the pop stars of today. But despite their common origins, there are many differences between poetry and pop music. Pop songs are always written for a public performance, whereas poetry often isn't. And the lyrics in pop songs sometimes have less rhythm than those in poetry. This is because the music provides the rhythm rather than the words. Pop lyrics are also simpler and often keep on saying the same thing. This repetition works well in a performance and means that pop songs are easier for people to sing and learn by heart. Both songs and poems tell a story or talk about feelings. Songs in particular deal with the different stages in a relationship, such as falling in love or breaking up. The words and ideas in songs are usually easier to understand than those in "serious" poetry. However, talented performers like Paul McCartney, or newer stars like Robbe Williams, often give simple songs more expression when they perform them. And some of the best lines from pop lyrics are as beautiful as poetry. So although pop music and poetry have many differences, they do have one important thing in common: the power to make us think about how we feel. What does the writer say about talented performers today?
They look at poetry to find ideas for their songs. They think their songs are more serious than poetry. They give songs more meaning when they sing them. They consider themselves to be more popular than poets.