TP-DASTT Poetry Analysis

Directions: You will watch the music video and read the lyrics to Macklemore’s
song, “Wings.” Before watching/reading, respond to the first element of TP-
DASTT (the title). After predicting what the poem is about, watch the video and
read over the lyrics. Then complete the rest of the TP-DASTT process outlined
below. You may work on your own or with one other person.

Use the following links to aid you with your poetry analysis:
“Wings” Official Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAg3uMlNyHA&feature=youtu.be
“Wings” Lyrics Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTQdFbWA8n4&feature=youtu.be

Title (before reading): Consider the title and make a prediction about what
the poem is about.
I thought the poem was about something to do with like rising up from
where he was before. Like, maybe he was at a really bad place earlier in his life,
but now he is better off and he is overcoming where he was and is becoming a
better person.

Paraphrase: Translate the poem line by line into your own words on a literal
level. Look for complete thoughts (sentences may be inverted) and look up
unfamiliar words.
Title: I think “Wings” means that in his “air bubble” he was flying so the wings
kind of meant this confidence that he had then built up because of his shoes and
because he knew he would be cooler if he had better shoes that were expensive.
Yellow section: I think the first section (yellow), it kind of meant that he got these
new shoes and they meant a lot to him. They gave him this newfound confidence
and they made him so much happier. They also made him a lot more motivated.
For example, when he said “this air bubble right here, it's gonna make me fly”, I
think he was telling us how motivated he was to fly and achieve whatever his
goals were.

Devices: Examine the poem for meaning beyond the literal. Look for figurative
language, imagery, and sound elements. Think about similes and metaphors.
What does the figurative language mean in the poem?

I found a lot of figurative language in the poem. For example, in the chorus, he
says “Stitch my wings and pull the strings, I bought these dreams”. I think he is
referring to the shoes and kind of saying, make me a pair of shoes (wings), and I’ll
put them on (pull the strings) because I bought these and they will help me
become a better person, or become cooler (dreams).
There is also a part that talks about the Nike symbol. The line is “I listened to what
the swoosh said, look at what that swoosh did”. That is personification, giving
lively actions to the logo, and I think it has something to do with him wanting to
kind of prove himself to people. It maybe means something about him just seeing
the swoosh, and knowing that he would have to do something great to maybe
earn that swoosh sort of, and he almost wants to follow in the footsteps of how
successful the swoosh became.

Attitude/Tone: Notice the speaker’s tone and attitude. Humor? Sarcasm? Awe?
Anger?

The tone was definitely very tense. At parts, like when his friend's brother got
shot, he almost sounded a little angry that whoever shot him, while at other parts
it was just a really intense sound. He was very serious, and clearly very passionate
about what he was talking about. Sometimes, like in the beginning, he sounded
very motivated and happy. Then, he started talking about how all he wanted was
to fit in. At that part, I think there was a sense of yearning, and maybe even
desperation to be cool and like everyone else.

Shifts: Note any shifts or changes in the speaker or attitude. Look for any key
words, time change, punctuation.

There was definitely a shift from the first stanza to the second one. He was very
happy, hopeful, and motivated, but then Carlos’ brother got shot, and from there
the whole tone changed. He started actually becoming somewhat sad, or
frustrated, or something along those lines. Then, he started to be kind of more
honest with himself. He started saying that without his “bubble’’, he would be
lost. So I think he became kind of desperate and not hopeful anymore.

Title: Examine the title again, this time on an interpretive level.

Now, I think “Wings” is totally referring to the level of confidence and motivation
that he got. I think it could also mean that he grew from where he was, so now his
wings have taught him that looks don’t determine your social status, and even if
they did, he wouldn't be any better of a person with the best shoes in the world.

Theme: Briefly state, in your own words, what the poem is about (subject), then
what the poet is saying about the subject (theme).
I think the poem is about him realizing a lot of things about himself. I think it's
about his journey, and partially about how all the shoes helped him realize that all
he wanted was to fit in. He just wanted to be cool and popular, and even prove
himself. It's about how he has changed throughout the years, and about an
incident and struggle that he faced that helped him grow. I think the theme is that
the only thing that really matters is the actual person you are, and not just what
you wear.