Beautiful- Eminem (7)

Lately I've been hard to reach
I've been too long on my own
Everybody has their private world
Where they can be alone

Are you calling me?
Are you trying to get through?
Are you reaching out for me?
I'm reaching out for you

I'm just so ******* depressed
I just can't seem to get out this slump
If I could just get over this hump
But I need something to pull me out this dump

I took my bruises, took my lumps
Fell down and I got right back up
But I need that spark to get psyched back up
And in order for me to pick the mic back up

I don't know how or why or when
I ended up this position I'm in
I'm starting to feel dissin' again
So I decided just to pick this pen

Up and try to make an attempt to vent
But I just can't admit
Or come to grips with the fact that I may be done with rap
I need a new outlet

And I know some ***** so hard to swallow
But I can't just sit back and wallow
In my own sorrow but I know one fact
I'll be one tough act to follow

One tough act to follow
I'll be one tough act to follow
Here today, gone tomorrow
But you'd have to walk a thousand miles

In my shoes, just to see
What it's like, to be me
I'll be you, let's trade shoes
Just to see what it'd be like

To feel your pain, you feel mine
Go inside each others' minds
Just to see what we'd find
Look at shit through each others' eyes

Don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get ******, just stay true to you
So don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get ******, just stay true to you

I think I'm starting to lose my sense of humor
Everything's so tense and gloom
I almost feel like I gotta check
The temperature of the room

Just as soon as I walk in, it's like all eyes on me
And so I try to avoid any eye contact
'Cause if I do that then it opens the door
For conversation, like I want that

I'm not looking for extra attention
I just wanna be just like you
Blend in with the rest of the room
Maybe just point me to the closest restroom

I don't need no ****** man servant
Trying to follow me around and wipe my ass
Laugh at every single joke I crack
And half of 'em ain't even funny like

Ha! Marshall you're so funny man
You should be a comedian, god damn!"
Unfortunately I am
I just hide behind the tears of a clown

So why don't you all sit down
Listen to the tale I'm about to tell
Hell, we don't gotta trade our shoes
And you ain't gotta walk no thousand miles

In my shoes, just to see
What it's like, to be me
I'll be you, let's trade shoes
Just to see what it'd be like

To feel your pain, you feel mine
Go inside each others minds
Just to see what we'd find
Look at shit through each others eyes

Don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get ****** just stay true to you
So don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get ******, just stay true to you

Nobody asked for life to deal us
With these ******** hands we're dealt
We gotta take these cards ourselves
And flip 'em, don't expect no help

Now I could've either just sat on my ass
And pissed and moaned
Or take this situation in which I'm placed in
And get up and get my own

I was never the type of kid
To wait by the door and pack his bags
I sat on the porch and hoped and prayed
For a dad to show up who never did

I just wanted to fit in
Every single place, every school I went
I dreamed of being that cool kid
Even if it meant acting stupid

And Edna always told me
Keep making that face and it'll get stuck like that
Meanwhile I'm just standing there
Holding my tongue tryna talk like that

'Til I stuck my tongue on that frozen stop sign pole
At 8 years old
I learned my lesson then
'Cause I wasn't trying to impress my friends no more

But I already told you my whole life story
Not just based on my description
'Cause where you see it, from where you're sittin
It's probably 110% different

I guess we would have to walk a mile
In each others shoes at least
What size you wear? I wear 10's
Let's see if you can fit your feet

In my shoes, just to see
What it's like, to be me
I'll be you, let's trade shoes
Just to see what it'd be like

To feel your pain, you feel mine
Go inside each others minds
Just to see what we'd find
Look at shit through each others eyes

Don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get ****** just stay true to you
So don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get ******just stay true to you

So don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get ****** just stay true to you
So

Lately I've been hard to reach
I've been too long on my own
Everybody has their private world
Where they can be alone

Are you calling me?
Are you trying to get through?
Are you reaching out for me?
I'm reaching out for you

Yeah, to my babies
Stay strong, daddy will be home soon

And to the rest of the world
God gave you shoes to fit you
So put 'em on and wear 'em
Be yourself man, be proud of who you are
Even if it sounds corny
Don't ever let anyone tell you you ain't beautiful


From all current songwriters I would say Eminem is the most powerful. He is not afraid to say what he means and not afraid to word his thoughts in unique ways. In his lyrics no matter what song, you will see numerous techniques. In “Beautiful” The one idea that really stands out is the symbolism of shoes. The verse; “I guess we would have to walk a mile, In each other’s shoes at least, What size you wear? I wear 10’s, Let’s see if you can fit your feet” expresses how no one ever knows how another person is truly feeling. To understand them you have to put yourself in their position instead of just judging them from the get go. The symbolism of the shoes also fits in with the theme. The last verse “God gave you shoes to fit you, So put ‘em on and wear ‘em, Even if it sounds corny, Don’t ever let anyone tell you you ain’t beautiful” states the theme pretty clearly. He wants everyone to know that even when you may feel the lowest of low you need to remember you are beautiful just the way you are. Especially when others try to make you feel bad.  Eminem uses past experiences that people can relate to as imagery. A lot of us can relate to “[Sticking our] tongue on that frozen stop sign pole”. But Eminem uses that humour to also teach a lesson. He uses the lines “At 8 years old, I learned my lesson then, ‘Cause I wasn’t trying to impress my friends no more.” He uses a somewhat common experience to show us we don’t need to impress other people to make them like us. Especially when it has its consequences. Parallel structure has been used quite a bit in this song. “So don’t let em... they can all get” and in the second last verse “are you” are all used throughout the song creating a nice flow. “And Edna always told me, Keep making that face and it'll get stuck like that” is a good example of a cliché. That line is used frequently in life by adults trying to get kids to stop misbehaving. Eminem takes a simple theme of being yourself and writes it in a way that’s personal to him. He doesn’t write something that every other person in the word would write. He uses negativity and different techniques in his songs, which not many artists are brave enough to try.

Piercing Eyes(6)

   I was officially lost. I sat alone on the steps of the old abandoned church, when suddenly I heard the rustling of a cloak. I could not see her but I knew it was a women by the big cloak she wore around her seemingly frail body.
   "Who's there?" I questioned. At my inquiry she pulled out a cigarette placing it between her frowning lips. She then lit a match, illuminating the dark night sky. As she sat there I couldn't help but notice those piercing eyes, aiming arrows straight into my soul. Eyes so full of confusion and anger, dark like a black hole waiting to swallow me up. As she wrapped her cloak tighter around her, I got a whiff of an alarming stench. Like a woman who had been scrummaging through garbage for even the slightest trace of food. Looking closer I noticed she had an awfully large nose, like a toucan. On either sides of her nose she wore worn leather in the place of cheeks. Odd. I had yet to restrain my eyes from her, yet all I got were quick glances. Until now. Now she had her gaze fixed upon me, as an owl would do. Not quite sure what to say I just stared back. Then I witnessed the faintest of smiles. Automatically reminding me of a curious old cat. Eventually she put out her cigarette and lay her head back on the hard cold stone. Despite the fact that I was sitting next to a perfectly good stranger, I strangely felt...safe.

I am... (5)

Dear head college man/woman person,

   I know you're probably wondering what a kid like me can offer a school like yours. Well lets be honest. I am the one and only Amanit Behniwal. I am the one who can save the whales. I am the one who knows all the answers. I am the one who can make a full Christmas dinner... out of dark chocolate. The Cake Boss has nothing on me.

   Ever heard of the girl who found and killed Bin Laden? That was me. How about the girl who single handedly saved the economy? That was me. Hero of Atlantis? That was me. Remember when it was discovered Elvis was actually alive and in hiding? That was me. Lets not forget about that incredible English speech. Yep, that's right. That was also me.

   Now I know I probably sound like a saint right about now, but really I'm not perfect. Close, but not quite. Everyone has a dark side no? Now don't tell anyone this but I once got arrested. But come on! I had to save that baby! I had to break and enter when I heard those cries! I had to take that child to a save place! How was I to know it was only cries from a movie?

   I'm sorry to cut this short but I must go meet with the Queen right now. In case you weren't already aware she has named me her personal adviser. Well can't deny the Queen. I look forward to your acceptance letter. We both know you'll accept me so lets make this as quick as possible alright?
                                                                                                                           Sincerely, Amanit Behniwal

George (4)

There are many things that annoy me. One of those happen to be when books or characters get butchered by movies. In the case of Mice and Men the only character which turned out to be exactly as I pictured was Candy. The rest were either mediocre or just plain horrible compared to the book. The worst by far was George. The main thing about him is that he had absolutely no emotion. In one of the last scenes he is supposed to kill his best friend Lennie. When he tries to act distraught and hurt he comes across as physically pained. Not for killing his best friend but rather for trying so hard to act emotional. It seems like it takes all it has for Gary Sinise to display any type of emotion; whether it be sadness, happiness, confusion, or anger. Another thing, he wasn't nearly as tough as he was supposed to be. In the book George is tough on Lennie and weary of everyone else. But you could still sense the love he had to Lennie in the book. In the movie however he was nonchalant throughout. Scenes that should have been really powerful ended up lacking because you got no feeling out of George. Physically also Gary Sinese was not up to par with George. George is meant to be a small yet rugged worker. Movie George was tall and strong. Personally I think Gary Sinese should stick to CSI, a job that doesn't require emotion.

Price to Pay (3)

     After a long tiring day Georgia decided to unwind by grabbing some wine and sitting down next to her fiance Danny on the bed.
     "So how was your day?" asked Danny while reading the newspaper.
     "Hmm. Well it was going great," replied Georgia, "that is until I got a call from Tom asking if we were still talking after your $3000 poker loss." A red faces Danny knew she had him, but still insisted on denying it all.
     "What are you talking about? Is that what he told you? I ended up winning all that back just the other night!"  
     "Really? Is that why you suddenly decided not to buy those gold clubs you've been talking about for the past couple months? Or maybe that's why we aren't going to the city anymore!?"
     "Honey, don't worry about it. It's taken care of." By now Danny knew his girlfriend was fuming. He could practically see the smoke coming out of her ears. Georgia as expected was not very amused. She then growled  
     "Well it looks like somebody will be sleeping on the couch tonight."
     "Can't we talk about this?" Danny questioned in a pleading voice, "You know I'll get that money back...eventually." By this point Georgia had had enough.
     "Until you do you can forget about going to the lake next weekend." She barked fiercely. She just could not believe how inconsiderate Danny was being! How could he pointlessly throw away $300 when he knew perfectly well they had a wedding to pay for? Knowing he had lost Danny gave in.
     "Fine. I'll go set up the couch. But let's not pretend you didn’t just spend an extra $500 on your dress."