The Idea of Carpe Diem in Music and Poems

“Carpe Diem” translated to “pluck the day” or “seize the day” has many definitions but in the following paragraphs there will be two definitions that will show my understanding of “Carpe Diem.” One of the definitions is to woo men or women and the other is to recognize the power of each day. One example of “Carpe Diem” that is used mostly is to woo men or women. For example in the song, “Who Do We Think We Are,” the lines, “We can't run out of magic. It's the only way we know let's trip the night fantastic light it up 'til we both explode,” shows to take advantage of the moment while it’s available with a significant other. Another song that shows an example of wooing men or women is in the song “It’s Now or Never.” In the lines “It's now or never, come hold me tight kiss me my darling, be mine tonight,” it shows that there is no time and now is the best time that’s available with your significant other. A poem that shows an example of wooing men or women is in the poem “To His Coy Mistress.” In stanza two he explains how life is short and death is an eternity and that if they wait to long to woo then worms will take her virginity, and when saying this he is hinting to woo before it’s too late. Another example that shows an example of wooing men or women is in the same poem “To His Coy Mistress.” in stanza three he says “now” stating that they should woo now while they’re young.

Another example of “Carpe Diem” that is used often is to recognize the power of each day. For example in the song “Young, Wild & Free,” in the lines “We’re just having fun we don’t care who sees so what we go out that’s how it's supposed to be living young and wild and free.” This shows that even if you’re young you should be able to value life and have fun at that moment. Another example to recognize the power of each day is from the song “If Today Was Your Last Day.” In the lines “If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late could you say goodbye to yesterday?” shows that time controls those moments and you never know when it’s over and to take advantage of the moment. In the poem “To the Virgins, to Make Much of time,” the line, “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,” is saying that time is running out and that you should cherish that moment. Another example from the same poem about to recognize the power of each day is from stanza two. In this stanza it is relating the sun as time and when the sun gets higher time is running out and those precious moments should be taken advantage of.

In conclusion there are similarities between “Carpe Diem” poems and modern music. For example both can be used to express how one feels. In addition both poems and modern music gradually tell the subject about what they want or what they should do.