Fiona Apple - When the Pawn Poem

[BeckyThePoet]

I thought this poem was the title of her second album and the intro to it. hmm

[paleblack1989]

@BeckyThePoet 'Tis.

[BeckyThePoet]

@paleblack1989 I thought so. Thanks for saying that though. I thought I was going senile already,lol.

Guess some of my memories are facts and not just me romanticizing about times past. Hey I rhymed.lol

[paleblack1989]

@BeckyThePoet I do all of the above and more! ;D

[tarsila57]

I have to listen to this every night so I can sleep.

[Phazonin]

this is my mantra. fiona, i don't know what else to say but thank you.

[DemitriousMercury]

Fiona is my favorite Musician, Male and female. Of all fucking time. Hands down.

A poet, a thinker, a writer, a singer AND she not only plays the piano like an angel, but she uses it to speak and explain the exact emotion her lyrics embody. I appreciate her not allowing these people to milk her like a cow and force her to make music with a cookie cutter. Life wouldn't be the same without her and I can honestly say I appreciate her more for what she's about to do than for what she's done.

[MsRhythmoflife1]

I love this women.My favorite female artist ,if not my favorite artist.

[BlueBallerina]

of course it makes sense! it's not maybe the easiest of poems, but you understand it the best if you memorize it yourself :) I love fiona!!!!

[monoxido1]

best poem ever!

[whathoney73]

Yes Fiona...I see what you mean....thank you....I love you.

[mlau123]

she wrote this poem dedicated to the media.. they tried to crazy because of her speech at the mtv.. in fact all the songs of de record are about that, she doesn't hate the man she hate the media!

[feedyourheads]

Wait wait, what is this audio from? Is there a video link to where said read this?

[deflaur]

@feedyourheads I have no idea, sorry! I had downloaded this many years ago. I tried searching for a link on YouTube without finding anything, which is why I uploaded the reading. But no video link and no idea where it was read.

[Phazonin]

@deflaur it's from a live set she did in '97. i have the entire concert.

[andreitale24]

@feedyourheads Actually it is from a concert in Boston, it is called Boston's First Taste, I have the full record of that part and the song that she sings after saying it (Sleep to Dream).

[pericles56]

why do they always have to scream in the end?i can't stand it..it's like so off topic...and they will scream at everything...

[icefenixxx]

Most probably know this but.... Fiona's a Guinness record holder for this poem for the longest album title.... the album title "When the Pawn..." is a short for this full poem which is actually title.

[xzoogiex]

she was the record holder, but she isn't currently

[icefenixxx]

Just after making my post I found that out... I was hoping she kept that record... it's a cool fact lol

[xzoogiex]

i know!! oh well it's still a pretty kickass album title regardless record or no record lol ♥

[Brilchan]

@icefenixxx

Not any more somebody bet her on the record (don't remember who check wiki for more info)

But it's still a great poem

[artemetrajes]

Well this seem to be a poem made for the battle between women & men.

Fiona is a great artist (musician, singer, writer) but as a writer sometimes she lose herself writing songs about how she can be in love and end up blaming everything to us men as if we really were the villains in every love story. Whatever happened to her, she has found herself in a drama against men.

[DeliciousXCupcakes]

Sorry Dear, it has nothing to do with women and men, at least as far as i know.

[anatrotem]

@artemetrajes she said in her interview that most of her songs are about her exboyfriends.. but she doesnt blame them for anything, she just talks about what happend,take for example 'criminal' or 'love ridden'. so she's not at all against man, maybe youre looking at it from your point of view, so maybe you are the one that has something against someone...

[artemetrajes]

@anatrotem I've listened to all of her songs and I dont think so, she is saying it all in the poem:

When the pawn hits the conflicts he thinks like a king

What he knows throws the blows when he goes to the fight

And he'll win the whole thing 'fore he enters the ring

There's no body to batter when your mind is your might...........

But who cares if she love & hate men we love her music and that's the way she wants to show it.

[anatrotem]

@artemetrajes man i never looked at this as a conflict between her and a men..

[deflaur]

@artemetrajes Fiona states in an iTunes Originals track that the poem was the result of the media pressure, people getting her down for her behavior. She wrote it as her outlet for all that upset she was feeling. It is definitely not about a battle between men and women.

[945sbs]

@artemetrajes Whatever happened to her? She was raped at 12, that's where some of her lyrical genius stems from.

[DaigoMoustache]

@artemetrajes She is very angry at men because she was raped at 12, and dated a moronic 18 year old when she was 14. She has suffered a lot at the hands of men. And a lot of women can relate to that. I doubt she hates all men. She just chooses to vent about certain ones who have done her harm.

[paleblack1989]

@artemetrajes Rumor has it she was sexually assaulted as an adolescent.

[seventeen80]

I remember reading reviews of this album and the writers were saying that the poem makes no sense. It makes perfect sense to me and I was 19 when the album came out...

It's an awesome poem and is perfect for anyone who has integrity and is standing up against anything or anyone.

[heretherenothing]

critics like to have an opinion on something that they can't do.

They're worse then metorogist at least when the weather man gets it wrong it's just going to effect people for that day

[quitejaded]

@seventeen80 Wow. Yah, I was still in highschool and the reason I fell in love with her music was because her lyrics always made PERFECT sense and the way she puts it is just...perfect.

[DemitriousMercury]

@seventeen80 Dude, anyone that doesn't understand this poem is a total idiot and definitely doesn't think like a king when he hits the conflicts. lol

[DemitriousMercury]

@seventeen80 Dude, anyone that doesn't understand this poem is a total idiot and definitely doesn't think like a king when he hits the conflicts.

[monatokee]

very cool.

[martikaalexis]

love it. love her. its much better to hear her say it.

[ericfreak67]

I'm trying to memorize this myself. I love this poem so much. I also love listening to Fiona say it. :)

[softcelltainted22]

@ericfreak67 SAME HERE!

[M324s]

does Fiona like to play chess?

[deflaur]

@M324s "When the pawn hits the conflict, he thinks like a king..."

Do you not follow...?

[xtehsex]

Awesome. I love hearing her read it.

[heartcontusion]

Love it.

I've had this memorized for years.