Poems
Biscuit Boy AKA Crackerman Lyrics
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Don't sit by river
Aren't there to be picked up by poets who pass
To find them on bank
And I'm
Not built to deliver
When stepping stone love in need
Of a bridge or a plank
The stream so much wider
Thought you could slow down the flow
If you drank and you drank
Middle age
Still unable to find her
The words on the stone that you skimmed
So heavy it sank
The ripple
Hesitation creates
The unposted poem with message
So clear yet so blank
Love will come
Not to he who just waits
For mouthing from bank side seems safer
Than living in tank
Thoughts
We understand were preserved
Rotted and quickly moved on
To a less cluttered bed
Rust
Somethoughts never deserved
But treated no different to ones
You kept in your head
Couldn't master me a classical piece
My brain's well
Popular but not fighting for seats
Pays the rent but never the lease
Never been classed as a work of art
Unlikely with the slowest of starts
Good progress if he ever took part
School days where you lived by your heart
Where you lived by your heart
And those strong and we will survive
And do so at the expense of fiction and art
Dissolve and notice to see
As time is the evidence that we even took part
Poems,don't sit by river
In Biscuit Boy AKA Crackerman's song "Poems," the lyrics speak to the idea that beautiful words, like poems, cannot simply be found lying on a riverbank waiting to be picked up by passing poets. The singer reflects on their own struggles to deliver meaningful words, noting that they are not built to do so when love and relationships are built on unstable foundations. In youth, they believed they could change the course of things by "drinking" from the "stream," but this effort proved futile in middle age when they are still unable to find the right words to express their emotions.
The song touches on the hesitancy and fear that often accompany creative expression. The unposted poem with a clear message is a powerful illustration of how the fear of judgment or inadequacy can hold people back from sharing their words with others. The singer encourages listeners not to simply wait for love or muse to come to them but to actively pursue what they desire despite the risk of rejection or failure. The final verse of the song reiterates the idea that time is evidence that one participated and lived their life to the fullest, regardless of the final outcome.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't sit by river
Don't wait idly for inspiration to come
Aren't there to be picked up by poets who pass
Poems are not just waiting to be found by chance
To find them on bank
To discover poetic inspiration on the riverbank
And I'm
And I am someone who understands this
Not built to deliver
Not equipped to bring forth inspired writing
When stepping stone love in need
When seeking emotional support as a crutch
Of a bridge or a plank
In search of stability and structure
Youth
During our younger years
The stream so much wider
Life feels more uncontainable and unmanageable
Thought you could slow down the flow
Thinking we might have more control over the direction of our lives
If you drank and you drank
By indulging in ways to escape life's challenges
Middle age
As we reach middle age
Still unable to find her
Still searching for poetic inspiration
The words on the stone that you skimmed
The fleeting thoughts that we fail to capture
So heavy it sank
So weighty and profound that they are difficult to express
The ripple
The effect of hesitation and self-doubt on our creative expression
Hesitation creates
Doubt and uncertainty can impede creative flow
The unposted poem with message
The unwritten inspiration that remains unshared
So clear yet so blank
It feels full of meaning yet remains unarticulated
Love will come
Poetic inspiration may arise with time and development
Not to he who just waits
But only to those who actively seek and create
For mouthing from bank side seems safer
For it might seem safer to simply observe than actively express oneself
Than living in tank
Than facing the challenges and complexities of creative expression
Thoughts
Our innermost thoughts and feelings
We understand were preserved
The things we hold onto are the ones that stick with us
Rotted and quickly moved on
Others fade away and are quickly forgotten
To a less cluttered bed
To a place of clarity and simplicity
Rust
The decay and breakdown of memories and experiences
Somethoughts never deserved
Some thoughts are not worth preserving or giving attention
But treated no different to ones
Yet are often given the same weight and significance as others
You kept in your head
The ones we hold onto and cherish
Couldn't master me a classical piece
Unable to achieve a high level of artistic accomplishment or mastery
My brain's well
My creativity and inspiration are abundant
Popular but not fighting for seats
My work may be well-received, but not highly sought after
Pays the rent but never the lease
My creative work provides financial stability, but not long-term success or recognition
Never been classed as a work of art
My creative efforts have yet to be recognized as truly artistic
Unlikely with the slowest of starts
It may be unlikely for me to achieve that recognition with my current pace or level of skill
Good progress if he ever took part
It would be a significant accomplishment if I were to put in consistent effort and make progress
School days where you lived by your heart
During our school years, we were more free and intuitive with our creative expression
And those strong and we will survive
Only the strongest and most resilient creative efforts will persevere over time
And do so at the expense of fiction and art
In doing so, they may need to sacrifice certain artistic ideals or conventions
Dissolve and notice to see
One must be open and perceptive to recognize creative inspiration
As time is the evidence that we even took part
Over time, our creative efforts become part of our history and legacy
Writer(s): Paul Heaton, Martin Slattery, Scott Shields
Contributed by Nathaniel E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.