Bed Of Roses

Regular readers of this series of bottled messages may have concluded that, although I do not know much about poetry, I know what I like. And what I like are the poetic stylings of John Bon Jovi. There is of course an ongoing argument in critical circles as to whether the lyrics of Bon Jovi are poetry set to music, or whether the lyrics and music combine to form a "tone poem", but I tend to side with the analysts - although without doubt things of beauty, the songs of Bon Jovi are best experienced as homage to the original words.

With this in mind, I would like to welcome you to my first "Bon Jovi Surgery". Here, I hope to untangle some of the skeins of complex meaning built into the poetry of John Bon Jovi, and maybe help others to understand why they inspire the feelings they do. Essentally, I seek to let a little comprehension in to illuminate the strange, primal feelings of religious awe that your minds currently register at the sound of "Living on a Prayer", say.

To begin, I'd like to look at the opening verses of "Bed of Roses". You may think you understand the meaning behind this poem - that John Bon Jovi likes a lady, and is upset about it. This is just a sign of the brilliant, interweaving complexity of Bon Jovi. You can love the poem at that level, and many have, but let's go... inside.