I'm going to break from the focus on law, and turn briefly to the arts. This weekend brought me back in touch with some songs, and one poem, whose sheer lyricism caught me by surprise. It started Friday night at the TD Garden, before the Celtics game, at the singing of "The Star Spangled Banner." I've heard the song a million times, but this time I shut out the distractions and listened closely to the lyrics, trying to envision what Francis Scott Key witnessed during the British attack on Fort McHenry that inspired the poem. You would think I'd be inured to the familiar lyrics sung at every major sporting event, but I'm not too embarrassed to say I got a little choked up as I let my imagination carry me to that monumental Maryland night. (The game was entertaining too, although my team lost to the very talented Phoenix Suns.)
Then, last night, my wife and I went to see Maureen McGovern's one-woman show at the Huntington Theatre, "The Long and Winding Road." During the autobiographical production, Ms. McGovern covered a couple dozen songs from the 1960s and later, including some of my favorites from my formative years. Once again, I concentrated on the lyrics of songs I know pretty much by heart, like Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'," Paul Simon's "America," Laura Nyro's "And When I Die," and James Taylor's "Shed a Little Light." I was disappointed that her selection from the Beatles was "Rocky Raccoon" (such a dumb song that I will not link to it here), and that she chose the Blood, Sweat and Tears arrangement of "And When I Die," but again, the lyrics of some of these songs grabbed me despite their familiarity. Does anyone write lyrics like that any more?
And finally today, listening to an NPR interview of theologian Karen Armstrong, I heard a partial recitation of T.S. Eliot's "Ash Wednesday." I studied Eliot in college and have re-read some of his works, including this one, many times. Still, I was struck by the power of his poetry, capturing an existential struggle with faith. Sheer brilliance.
Does any of this relate to law? Well, maybe in this sense: If you want to be a good legal writer, take in the works of great lyricists and poets. It's all about rhythm, structure, economy of words, and meaning.
Then, last night, my wife and I went to see Maureen McGovern's one-woman show at the Huntington Theatre, "The Long and Winding Road." During the autobiographical production, Ms. McGovern covered a couple dozen songs from the 1960s and later, including some of my favorites from my formative years. Once again, I concentrated on the lyrics of songs I know pretty much by heart, like Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'," Paul Simon's "America," Laura Nyro's "And When I Die," and James Taylor's "Shed a Little Light." I was disappointed that her selection from the Beatles was "Rocky Raccoon" (such a dumb song that I will not link to it here), and that she chose the Blood, Sweat and Tears arrangement of "And When I Die," but again, the lyrics of some of these songs grabbed me despite their familiarity. Does anyone write lyrics like that any more?
And finally today, listening to an NPR interview of theologian Karen Armstrong, I heard a partial recitation of T.S. Eliot's "Ash Wednesday." I studied Eliot in college and have re-read some of his works, including this one, many times. Still, I was struck by the power of his poetry, capturing an existential struggle with faith. Sheer brilliance.
Does any of this relate to law? Well, maybe in this sense: If you want to be a good legal writer, take in the works of great lyricists and poets. It's all about rhythm, structure, economy of words, and meaning.
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