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A poem honoring one of my favorite musicians (HM in “Write From the Heart”) |
Dan Reynolds, a man of great talent, Born to a Mormon family, brought up with strictness and love By a devout mom and grandma Who drilled decent behavior into his heart of gold. Depression and confusion set in at age twelve So he began to write lyrics, composing secret songs Spilling his feelings into cryptic words to share With family members quite unaware of what spiritual doubts Lurked beneath bops and beats and melodies Which came together daily, year in and year out. A long path to fame: from a university dropout To being lead singer of an explosive breakout band Much maligned by professional critics, But beloved by millions globally. He shares his heart with us in unforgettable words Strung playfully together with the charm of nursery rhymes. Sincerity marks all he does, and his only wish Is that we connect with the depths of emotion in his music And know we are not alone in what we feel. "Your life is worth living," he tells us at each show He knows all too well so many different pains: Losing close companions to cancer and suicide Struggling to move, fighting joint-stiffening disease Each day is a battle to see color through gray To feel anything through numbness To be there for family and filter out haters Learning to move on, to grow and evolve The beauty of it all is, we can join him on his journey Reaching for hope, wholeness and sobriety And creating a safe space for all of humanity To bond with each other's joys and sorrows To escape what divides us, if only for a moment His art inspires us to reach within ourselves And find the strength to continue, whatever may come. Dan Reynolds, Long may you live and strong be your love Keep doing what you do and never give up The people you've touched through your music Will never forget the heart they've met Your legacy lasts as long as the lifespan of dragons. Free verse, 332 words, 40 lines. Written for "Write from the Heart Poetry Contest" ![]() Received Honorable Mention Prompt: Write an elegy to your favorite musician, living or dead. To learn more about Dan, click here. ![]() This is one of my all-time favorite Imagine Dragons songs. I cried when I heard it the first time and for many years after, because I never thought I'd find a song which so exactly expressed how I felt. |