The cup is not half empty as pessimists say
As far as he's sees nothings left in the cup
A whole cup full of nothing for him to indulge
Since the voice of ambition has long since been shut up

A singer, a writer, he's not dreaming now of going nowhere
He gave heed to nothing, and all that he was
Is just a tragedy

So he voyages in circles
Succeeds getting nowhere
And submits to the substance
That first got him there

Than in violent, frustration he cries out to God or just no one
Is there a point to this madness and all that he was
Is just a tragedy

He feels alone
His heart in his hand
He's alone
He feels alone
I feel

Then on that last day he breaks
And he stood tall
And he yelled, and he takes his life



Lyrics submitted by PooNani

Track duration: 03:44

"Poetic Tragedy" as written by Robert C./steineckert Mccracken

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Poetic Tragedy song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment:I think I have the right interpretation of this song, if not the entire Used album by The Used. However, in order to better understand this song, one must first understand the background of Bert, and how he wrote this album. The Used was once a singer-less band, and when Bert joined, all the instrumental parts for the first album were basically finished. Bert just had to write the lyrics. Bert came from the small town of Orem, Utah. The same town I was born and raised in, where a lot of Mormons live. In fact, every house on just about every block in Orem, Utah has a very active Mormon family. VERY ACTIVE. Everyone devotes so much time and energy to religion and literally go nuts over it. Almost like a Footloose type of town. Bert was one of the few teenagers in the town who decided to go completely against it. Against the organized religion, against the rules, against his parents, against his peers. He was against it all. This is a phase that many teenagers face in his town when they finally decide that maybe being Mormon isn't what they want to be.
    With this decision comes many negative results for a long time. Many people become quick to place you as dishonest, and make you feel like a complete outcast, because in Utah, religion is what makes the world go round. When people make you feel like an outcast, you begin to rebel even more. Out of spite, rage, and hate. You feel like if you are not against everyone, you are with them, which is a road you have chosen to never follow again. So Bert acted out.
    He got into drugs, lost everything, even his faith in a higher power. A feeling of worthlessness overcame him. A feeling of being utterly alone. Everyone was telling him he was choosing the wrong, and he didn't know what to believe. This song seems to represent the day that he let it all go. The day that he finally stood up and screamed. He let all the hate out of him. All the hate against his neighbors who talked bad about him, all the hate against the Mormon religion, all the hate against his family and peers, rushed out of him in his screams during his last chorus. My neighbor is good friends with all the members of the used, and he told me that you will never hear Bert talk poorly about his hometown, because he let all his feelings out during the writing of this album, and finally learned to accept his culture for what it is, and move on. That is what this album, and this song is all about.
    These lyrics are also inaccurate. In the real song, if I am correct, he says
    "And on that last day he breaks
    Stood on trial, and he yelled, and he yelled...
    (Why!)
    Violent (World!) frustration
    (Which one!?) Cries out to god or just no one
    (Again) Is there a point to (Hate You!) this madness
    (Why world?!) And all that he was is just a tragedy."

    If you read the words of this whole song, and quite a few others from this album (not every song, but quite a few of them, for example "Bulimic" and "on my own") you will find that it is all about finding purpose, and not understanding why we exist. At the end of the album, in the track "On My Own" Bert finally come to terms with the fact that he can't know everything. He cannot answer every question about life like he could when he was a Mormon, but he come to terms with it in the line "knowing nothing is better than knowing it all!" This song is about freeing the spirit from the chains and shackles that overly-concentrated organized religion brings to the free spirit. That is why Bert wrote it, and I have learned so much from it. I hope you all can as well.
    Flag jaxoneadyon January 21, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the words hes screaming at the end are "why world? why world? hate you. hate you. bye world"
    Flag sublime212on December 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Okay, EVERYONE wants to know what he is screaming at the end of the song that overlaps the lyrics:

    "fighting frustration, he cries out to god or just no one is there a point to this madness, and all that he was, was just a tragedy"

    It is correct that he is not saying "he takes his life". But what is he saying you ask? Well I can tell you:

    He screams "why, world, why world, hate, you, hate you, bye world"
    Flag CheezLogon October 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:he is singing third person about himself. he felt like god was ignoring him or that god doesnt care. and he is lost and confused and feeling insane. since he has (or had) problems with drinking, im guessing that this is how you feel when you have an addicton.
    Flag happyfacedloseron July 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is about depression leading back into drug abuse, which further leads to suicide...yay suicide
    Flag cant escape my fateon April 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love the part when it says "I feel..." because he's so obviously caught himself about to let it slip that the person he's been singing about this whole time is himself.
    Flag katiezon February 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song was great at the end of grind......great movie....its when i first heared this song....
    Flag kill-all-emoson December 27, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Reminds me of my uncle...word for word describes him perfectly :'(
    Flag tuftyon October 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is so beautifully done...and it always manages to make me depressed...Gotta love it...
    Flag Your Guardian Angelon January 28, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song reminds me so much of the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. it's obvious why.
    Flag d/c addicton December 04, 2007   Link

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