I want to dedicate an entire post to my Juniper playlist. I find a lot of inspiration in songs, which makes sense, since music and poetry go hand in hand. This isn’t a complete playlist. I listened to a lot of songs while writing Juniper, but I wanted to include some of the ones that heavily inspired me.
Poem: “Black and Blue Ballerina”
Song: “Red Desert” by 5 Seconds of Summer
So, to be honest, when I first heard this song, I thought the lyrics were “red, red dancer.” Well, I actually thought those were the lyrics up until I tried to look up the song to add it to this playlist. I have no idea why I thought that. Anyway, the word “dancer” stuck out to me and I immediately heard the word “cancer” (probably because it rhymes), and the poem took off from there.
Poem: “Snow Queen”
Song: “Snow Angel” by Reneé Rapp
I was listening to this song on repeat after I heard it on the radio one day, and I fell in love instantly. I was already trying to write a poem about a snow queen for Juniper, and this song helped me get in the right state of mind to create it.
Poem: “Bonnie”
Song: “Run Away With Me” from the musical: “The Mad Ones”
I included this song, even though the reference is minor. I first heard the soundtrack to this musical while I was working on Juniper, and it was this particular song that helped me finish the poem. For some reason, the reference to Mississippi—specifically something that is special to Mississippi (the lyric: “Mississippi mud”) inspired me.
Poem: “Two Seconds”
Song: “Touch My Soul” from the musical: “bare: A Pop Opera”
The inspiration from this song isn’t as obvious as some of the others. It’s more about the vibe of the song and the fleeting sense of connection within it. The poem is about eye contact and how impactful a moment can be.
Poem: “Her Voice”
Song: “Tightrope” from the musical: “The Greatest Showman”
So, the reference to a tightrope walker is an obvious link between the poem and the song. Other than that obvious inspiration, there’s also the sense of following someone—or in the case of this poem, following a voice.
Poem: “Raphael, Hold Your Fire”
Song: “The Duel” from the musical: “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”
One night, I was trying to sleep and the name Raphael came to me. I wasn’t sure what to do with it. The rest of the title came to me randomly. After that, I realized that there is a very clear influence from the lyric: “Pierre, hold your fire.” It must have popped in my head from how often I’ve heard the song.
Poem: “Blood is Red”
Song: “The Red Means I Love You” by Madds Buckley
This poem was really difficult for me to finish. It took me forever to come up with a version that I actually liked. The end product was shaped from the influence of all the red in this song, along with the image of draining blood and vampiric tendencies.
Poem: “Marigolds are Forever Ruined”
Song: “Brother” by Madds Buckley
The lyrics:
“Brother, I watched the sky burn
and all I learned was
smoke fills the lungs like a disease” helped shape the heart of this poem.
I just want to point out that Madds Buckley shows up twice on this playlist and probably should be referenced more. But, the thing is, I’m not even sure what she’s specifically influenced. I listened to her album: Sunset on Summerville on repeat while I was working on Juniper.
Poem: “Dead (Girl)Friend”
Song: “Twisted Teeth” from the musical “35MM: A Musical Exhibition”
As you can tell from this playlist, I love musicals. I was inspired by the vampires in the song.
The lyrics:
“Ain’t no doors get locked
Ain’t no secrets get hid
Cause I’d die for my Mister
And in truth, die, I did” really struck a chord with me.
Poem: “King of the Slugs”
Song: “Skin” by Alexz Johnson
This poem still makes me squirm when I read it and this song helped make that happen. There are two lines of lyrics that were especially influential: “Is this a dream or is this my lesson?” and “Oh, my permission to sin.”
Poem: “Saved by Skylarks”
Song: “Never Going Back Again” by Fleetwood Mac
This song was playing in the background when I was trying to write this poem. I actually dislike reading this poem, because it makes me uncomfortable. I love the song though, and how it inspired this poem with the idea of being knocked down and not giving up.
Poem: “Growing Up Costs a Ruby”
Song: “wipe your tears” by Halsey
This was one of the first poems I wrote for Juniper. It was directly influenced by this song. I heard the song and was inspired by the lyrics: “Nothing’s gonna hurt you, baby.” I just discovered villanelles around that time and was trying to write one myself. Instantly, I knew that lyric would make a great refrain.
Talking a little bit about my poems and the inspiration behind them was more fun than I expected it to be. I’m thinking of including a longer playlist (one song per poem in Juniper) in an upcoming newsletter, if people are interested. It would only be a playlist/list of songs, without all the commentary. Don’t forget to sign up for my email list (at the bottom of the page) if you’re interested in hearing more about me and my projects!
Juniper Playlist Youtube Below
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