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Stylistic Analysis of John Lennon's "Imagine"

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Stylistic Analysis of John Lennon's "Imagine"
Stylistic Analysis of “Across the Universe” by John Lennon
Author: Maimoona Abdulaziz

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
JOHN LENNON

Words are flowing out like
Endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass
They slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
Are drifting through my opened mind
Possessing and caressing me

Jai guru deva Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Images of broken light which
Dance before me like a million eyes
That call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a
Restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as
They make their way across the universe

Jai guru deva Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Sounds of laughter shades of life
Are ringing through my open ears
Exciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which
Shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe

Jai guru deva Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva

ANALYSIS
These lyrics stand out like words, even if taken away from their melody. “They don’t have to have any melody”, as Lennon puts it. The reason for this might be the alliteration of liquids along with “s”, which is perhaps one of the most distinctive features these lyrics hold. They add a “flow” to the lyrics. For instance, the first stanza holds words like “like”, “endless”, “slither”, “while”, “slip”, “pools”, etc. Alliteration of “s” sound adds to the swiftness of these already “flowing” lyrics. Words like “pass”, “across”, “universe”, “possessing” and “caressing”, all lie in the very first stanza. Moreover, we see some alliteration of the nasal sound “n” in the
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