A Current, Yet Candid Cleopatra

The song, "Cleopatra," by the Lumineers is woven together with meaningful poetic devices, such as metaphors, personification, and repetition. The song from 2016 falls under the alternative and indie genre. With a soft, yet upbeat, minimalist feel, "Cleopatra" climbed the charts. The Lumineers wrote "Cleopatra" in such a way that it genuinely mimics the story of Cleopatra from 69 BC, yet at the same time, is relevant today.

The intertwined, story telling, verses from Cleopatra's point of view, are what make this song special. 

And I left the footprints, the mud stained on the carpet
And it hardened like my heart did when you left town

The Lumineers, singing from the perspective of Cleopatra herself, are talking about the loss of a lover, when they move away. She is too broken to remove any little part of him she has left. When the Lumineers were writing this song, they chose to use personification of the heart. By including this, they are allowing listeners to experience her heart break in very descriptive and real sense. 

The song continues with,

But I must admit it, that I would marry you in an instant
Damn your wife, I'd be your mistress just to have you around

Cleopatra longed for her love, Mark Anthony, to the point where she would do anything just to be in his life. The use of strong language, that almost sounds like dialogue, is really impacting on the listener. There is also a bit of irony in these too lines. The Lumineers have written her love story in an accurate way, as to Mark proposing, Cleopatra not accepting, and her regretting it once he leaves. The fact that she is now so desperate for him is a tragic but ironic tale of someone in love. 

This ironic state is due to the unfortunate mix of love and time, and what happens when they don't line up. The chorus finishes with, 

But I was late for this, late for that, late for the love of my life
And when I die alone, when I die alone, when I die I'll be on time

The use of repetition in these lines not only makes a lasting impression on the reader, but almost mimics Cleopatra's repetitive and obsessive thoughts of her long gone love. When repeating the word "late" he begins to change the mood to a bit of a darker place. Cleopatra blames herself, and Lumineers capture this perfectly with this switch in tempo and mood. As well, he sings about her only being on time for her death, hinting at her suicide. Therefore, including the use of foreshadowing at the end of the chorus.

In the way this song is historically accurately, as well as being an relevant and relateable song, there is no doubt that "Cleopatra" stands out among the rest. However, because of it's personification, irony, and repetition, it is also beautifully written poetry.