Mullin' over the Blues

 

“sun goes on shining

while the debbil beats his wife

blues played left handed

topsy-turvy inside out”

 

Mullen’s blues style stanzas appear in quatrains rather than three line stanzas and can be described as she says as “topsy-truvy”. The stanzas exemplify the typical blues progression from problem to resolution. She shares common themes with many blues poems by writing about the troubles of relationships, everyman’s endless search for success, and escaping depression. Yet, many of her themes take on a more modern and risqué tone than those typically seen in blues poems. Her use of double entendres and hidden insinuations allow her to address more sensitive subjects such as sex and violence without being perfectly blunt about the issues. The tone of work is certainly very pessimistic, and it is possible to say it acts as a social criticism. She uses this intonation to address issues such as sexism, abortion, racism, and social injustice in general. Mullen’s actual diction in the work differs significantly from typical blues. While she often utilizes a rhythmic style of short phrases commonly found in the blues, most of her lines are full of double entendres, puns, alliterations and consonance, homonyms, and other poetic devices that give a second meaning to her writing. She often twists common phrases to present a more profound implication. She references blues songs in her lyrics as well as any thing from advertisements to catch phrases. This excerpt displays Mullen’s true diversity of style.

 

curly waves away blues navy

saved from salvation

army grits and gravy

tries no lie relaxation

 

some little bitter

spilled glitter

wiped the floor

with spoiled sugar

 

back dating double dutch

fresh out of bubble gum

half step in the grave

on banana peels of love

 

devils dancing on a dime

cut a rug in ragtime

jitterbug squat diddly bow

stark strangled banjo

 

This poem in particular displays the vast array of literary devices that Mullen has mastered in order to portray her message. Her alliterations and consonances create a flow that is characteristic of the blues: “devils dancing on a dime”. She also uses metaphors like the “banana peels of love” in order to portray her message. Her blues style flow is accentuated by a myriad of internal rhymes, rhymed couplets, and alternating rhymes that appear throughout the work. Mullen utilizes all of these poetic devices in a brilliant attempt to create her own uniquely modernized blues poetic style.

 

go ahead and sing the blues

then ask for forgiveness

you can’t do everything

and still be saved