Background Information

Make sure to answer all the questions marked in bold in your short response. 

Paul Simon wrote this song.  As a well-know lyricist and composer, Simon's songs are esteemed for their poetic qualities.  This song was originally inspired by John Donne's "Meditation 17".  John Donne is a  poet who was born in 1572 and died in 1631.  He wrote poetry, sonnets, sermons, songs, elegies and translated Latin works into English.  Below is attached a copy of his mediation upon which Simon based his song.  Read it before reading "I Am A Rock".  How do the two relate?  Do they agree in their themes? 

Also note Simon's assonance, rythm, repetition, and other poetical devices.  Does he include them, even though this is a song?  Does the very existance of these poetical devices in a song make the song poetry?  What about songs that don't contain the same level of poetical devices?  Consider these questions when writing your explication.