Ancient Literature in our Modern World

Kid Cudi’s song “Day ‘N’ Nite ” has deep and intriguing meaning to it, and it specifically relates to a poem we read last week, “I Stand Alone” Du Fu in terms of the topic. Loneliness and anguish are the center of attention throughout both poems.

“Instigations in nature approach men’s affairs—
I stand alone in thousands of sources of worry.”

In these two lines, the author is trying to tell the reader that finally, after describing the falcon in the sky, the seagulls gliding in the river, the dew on the grass, and the spider’s web ready, humans also have a place in nature. This place to Du Fu, is a world of a thousand sources of worry which leads to loneliness because of all these things (the seagulls/grass) around him, none can related to him and his problems and he “Stand(s) Alone,” a reference to the title. His dilemma, is that no humans are around for him to share his thoughts with in this forest he is in.

Kid Cudi makes the same references in the following lyrics:

“Day and night (what, what)
I toss and turn, I keep stressing my mind, mind (what, what)
I look for peace but see I don’t attain (what, what)”

He is telling the listener of his work, that he is having a hard time finding harmony within himself due to the troubles he may be having with his life or internally. This relates back to the anguish I said Du Fu might be feeling and the problem he faces with not having the ability to share his problems; portraying the aspect of loneliness. This same loneliness that Du Fu goes through, Kid Cudi goes through as well in the lines:

“The lonely stoner seems to free his mind at night
He’s all alone through the day and night
The lonely loner seems to free his mind at night (at, at, at night)”

Kid Cudi is facing these problems alone, with only himself to help reconcile his problematic situation at night, as he is alone (figuratively, could be that he has no one to talk to) throughout all other times of the day.