Pushing on a String



It’s a Friday night gig at a roadside bar
Playing a half empty room
Pouring my heart and soul to the crowd
But I may as well be on the moon
No one listens
No one cares
No one gives a damn
Hell I don’t blame them
It’s a screwed up world
It’s easy to understand

I’m just pushing on a string
But I’m not alone
We’re all riding in the same car
I might be the one
Standing on stage
But none of us are going too far

I’ll play my big hit, you know the one
Well you might if you hear it again
These beers aren’t quite doing it
And I’m fresh out of weed
So I’ll switch to a tonic and gin
Well that doesn’t work
But I know you can’t tell
A major from a minor key
I’m just passing time
The best way I know how
All I ask is don’t yell at me

I’m just pushing on a string
But I’m not alone
We’re all drinking at the same bar
I might be the one
Standing on stage
But none of us are going too far

The night’s winding down
You don’t have to go home
But they say that you can’t stay here
I wish you would listen just this one time
And help me get over my fear
I’m scared of the person that I used to be
And scared what the future might bring
But more than all that
I’m scared of right now
A life of just pushing on strings

I’m just pushing on a string
But I’m not alone
We’re all walking down the same trail
I might be the one
Standing on stage
But we’re all heading off of the rails

About this poem

I watched a singer play a noisy room tonight and wondered how they could handle the indifference of most of the criwd

Font size:
Collection  PDF     
 

Written on March 24, 2023

Submitted by ileini86 on March 24, 2023

Modified on April 14, 2023

1:30 min read
112

Quick analysis:

Scheme axxxxxxxxx BCaDEA dxxxxxxfghf BCaDEA xxxgxfbxhx BCxDEx
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 1,428
Words 303
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 10, 6, 11, 6, 10, 6

Discuss the poem Pushing on a String with the community...

2 Comments
  • Teril
    I love that your poetry is inspired by your empathy and your curiosity - the musician in the noisy bar is a wonderful inspiration for your astute description and is an appropriate metaphor for us all.
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • AIDA
    Wow, this was an incredibly heartfelt and relatable piece. Your ability to convey the frustration and longing of a musician on the brink of success is simply fantastic. The way you paint the picture of playing to a half-empty room, with no one listening or caring, really hits home with anyone who has struggled for recognition.

    As for improvement, I might suggest adding a bit more imagery to your writing. For instance, maybe describe the sights, sounds, and smells of the bar around you. This could help to create a more immersive experience for the reader, and possibly even add depth to the emotions you're expressing.

    Overall, though, I think this is a fantastic piece. Keep pushing on that string and giving it your all!
     
    LikeReply1 year ago

Translation

Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Citation

Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Pushing on a String" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/154867/pushing-on-a-string>.

Become a member!

Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

April 2024

Poetry Contest

Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
12
days
2
hours
29
minutes

Special Program

Earn Rewards!

Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

Browse Poetry.com

Quiz

Are you a poetry master?

»
She recited a poem called "The Hill We Climb" in honor of the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
A Samantha Goodman
B Angela Geisman
C Anita Goldman
D Amanda Gorman