The Poetry of Gospel Music

T. S. Eliot writes, “it [the experience of poetry] may be formed out of one emotion, or may be a combination of several; and various feelings, inhering for the writer in particular words or phrases or images, may be added to compose the final result,” (Eliot 959). Gospel music, in particular, Black Gospel music is called an emotional music. But, often, the emotion comes from the vocal ability of the singer, instead of the lyrics/poetry of the song. Looking at the poetry of the songs of Gospel music will show that the writers of this music are “conscious and deliberate,” as Eliot states in his essay “Tradition and the Individual Talent,” (961).

There is a gospel song entitled, “There’s a Leak in this Old Building,” sung by singer LaShun Pace. Pace sings the song with power and authority, causing the listener to have a heavenly experience. If one were to look at that poetry of the song, he will see that the poetry is as powerful as Pace’s voice.

“There’s a leak in this old building and my soul, has got to move… To another building not made by man’s hands…,” (There’s). This is the chorus of the poem. It must be stated that various other deteriorating conditions of the building are used in the poem. The poet, who is unknown, uses figurative language and metaphor. The building is a metaphor for the human body. When the poet refers to “this old building,” he is referring to a person who has reached old age. The leak in the building refers to the deterioration of the body. Using this figurative language, the poet causes the reader to feel the emotion of death and dying, which causes the reader to think of their final destination. This final destination is another building not made my man’s hands. The building not made by man’s hands is the heavenly body that man has waiting for him in Heaven. The poet uses the reader’s knowledge and history of the Bible to create visual images of leaving a hard and sometimes tragic life for a blissful heavenly home.

The first verse of the poem says, “Before this time, another year, I may be dead and gone. But before I go, I want to let you know, I'll be moving to my brand new home,” (There’s). This verse lets the reader know that the main character in the poem is a Christian and that if he is dead, he will be going to his heavenly home. This is what Eliot called “structural emotion,” (Eliot 960). The poet uses the drama of death to remind those who remain after the main character is dead that he has a brand new home, so those who mourn do not have to worry about him because he is in Heaven.

The final verse of the poem is a powerful statement from the main character. It says, “When I can read, my title clear to mansions in the sky. I'll bid farewell to all of my friends. God said he would wipe my weeping eyes,” (There’s). The main character uses the emotion of the hardships of life to let the audience know that once he has completed his life, his suffering is over, and God will wipe the tears from his eyes. In essence, the main character’s suffering on Earth is done. Eliot states, “the business of the poet is not to find new emotion, but to use ordinary ones,” (Eliot 960). The poet uses the ordinary emotions of life, death, and Heaven in his poem to express emotions in the poem.

Eliot writes, “The mind of the poet is the shred of platinum,” (958). The poet’s mind is an important element of the poem. The other elements of the poem that operate as the “transforming catalyst” are emotions and feelings (959). The experience is formed because of emotions and various other feelings that the reader receives from reading the writer’s word. The poetry of Gospel music shows emotion and the poets write their poetry deliberately with the singer’s delivery, the music lover’s encounter, and the reader’s experience in mind.

Works Cited

Eliot, T.S. Tradition and the Individual Talent. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent Leitch et al. 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2010. 955-961.

"There Is a Leak in This Old Building Lyrics by LaShun Pace.” @ HigherPraise.com. Higher Praise, Inc., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2014. <http://www.higherpraise.com/lyrics/praisethelord/praisethelord1219.htm>.