Health and Human Services Academy
Song or Poem Merit Badge

 

1. Select a favorite song, print out the lyrics.
2. Evaluate the lyrics for parts of speech. Highlight and mark each you find. See your English teacher if you have trouble with this.
3. Write a paragraph about your interpretation of the song. What is the underlying meaning?


Example-Song: I hope you dance, by Leann Wolmack

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger, “metaphor comparing ambition to food”
May you never take one single breath for granted,
GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance... I hope you dance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin', “parallelism”
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance... I hope you dance.
I hope you dance... I hope you dance.
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance, “personification”
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

Dance... I hope you dance.
I hope you dance... I hope you dance.
I hope you dance... I hope you dance...
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along “metaphor”
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone)