Firmal Analysis Final: The only Reason We’re Alive
IN-Q is a spoken word poet from Los Angeles who focuses his work on providing insight to analyzing what it really means to be human and explores the various human experiences that everyone experiences but on a deeper level. The Only Reason We’re Alive is a spoken word poem along with the guidance of an animated digital artwork video. The poem is a narrative about falling in love at the age of 85. The video starts off with a soft calming piano tune playing in the background with the word “love” floating above clouds. This imagery prepares the mind for the exploration of the question “what is love?” The next images seen are an elderly man and woman couple happily getting along, dancing in love. The narrator goes on to list descriptions of the types of dates and activities him and his significant other would do and his idealistic view of life in love at 85. The actual spoken word of the poem is in an ABAB rhyme scheme, which establishes a musical rhythm. This aids the flow of the poem as the narrator “raps” down his list, creating anticipation for the next part of the story. IN-Q’s idea of what it means to be in love is down to earth and romantic. He talks about shuffleboard dates and dancing to hip hop from 1995, dressing like the iconic RUNDMC. The moving images depict exactly the words of the narrator’s voice. The poem does not leave out the expected hardships that come with loving at an old age. He talks about death and how it will inevitably come. He explains loving someone through sickness and death and remaining loyal and loving to his partner no matter what. The animation gradually goes down a timeline showing what comes with old age love as the couple slowly each day gets closer to their passing. The poem concludes saying “Love the only reason they were alive and then the wish of the week to 85”. The poem itself is the definition of genuine and unconditional love. The video amplifies the potential power in relationship-based live and what it looks like to connect with someone on such a deep level. The poem also ends with a call to action. Asking the audience to not wait to find love but to find it now.
The moving artwork in this digital narrative help truly hone in on IN-Q’s message. Seeing an actual visual of human love interactions imitated via digital content helps the audience relate more to what they are hearing as they simultaneously follow along to the story the artistic visual provides. Watching a man care for his elder wife in her dying old age provokes intense emotional feelings.
