[Jeffrey]

the metal

by Jeffrey Bryan Shoup

the metal gets under your skin
and into your soul
all you hear is ringing without it
it is the cure
jazz comes from the hips, blues from the liver/heart
rock from the adrenaline,
and metal comes from the spine
the metal is
what carries you over the pavement
and sets you down in front of ten thousand people
and sets you down amidst ten thousand people
it is the cure

[Jo Mo]

This is some what of a strange poem Starboard, but.

jazz comes from the hips, blues from the liver/heart

I am not sure about blues from the 'liver/heart'. By 'the liver' are you implying overcomsumption of alcohol here or something else? It seem comical to me. Or maybe you meant it this way, I don't know. Anyway, it brought back some dark memories in my mind of my former rock and roll days.

[Skeeter]

I believe he's referring to how some cultures see the centre of the emotions being the liver rather than the heart.

I enjoyed this poem for some reason. I wish I could figure out what that reason is.

[Jo Mo]

I see what you mean Skeeter. Just when I first saw it, just kind of tickled my funny bone.

[Ayria]

i love this one. i really do

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Jo Mo

I am not sure about blues from the 'liver/heart'. By 'the liver' are you implying overcomsumption of alcohol here or something else? It seem comical to me. Or maybe you meant it this way, I don't know. Anyway, it brought back some dark memories in my mind of my former rock and roll days.

I believe he's referring to how some cultures see the centre of the emotions being the liver rather than the heart.

Bingo on both - it was meant to be both tongue-in-cheek, and reference the culturally-ingrained concept of the seat of emotions - did you know that the word we usually translate as "heart" in the Old Testament referred to the liver? As Skeeter said, not every culture believes the heart is the seat of emotion.

Additionally, as th' Mo pointed out, I am referencing alcohol, in a semi-humorous way. Jazz to me comes from the rhythm, the natural instinct to music and dancing. Blues comes from sorrow and emotion...and sometimes these things are drowned in alcohol.

I was considering putting "rock comes from the crotch," but realized that was inappropiate. Not saying this to be funny, part of crafting any of my poetry is bringing it into line with what I feel is appropiate. I think it's a necessary restriction on art made by Christians.

This song is a love note to the genre of metal, and as such is a bit tongue-in-cheek.