Mac Miller is a rap artist who died in 2018 due to drug overdose. I could argue all of his songs are poetic, but “2009”, from his album “Swimming”, has the most poetic features in my opinion.

The song “2009” connects to his death and drug use through the lyrics and rhymes used. The song is slow and features a lot of instrumentals like violin and piano which gives it a heartfelt feel.

First, the rhyming is really emphasized in this song as shown in this verse.

I don’t need to lie no more
Nowadays all I do is shine
Take a breath and ease my mind
And she don’t cry no more
She tell me that I get her high

In addition to the rhyming, the repetition of the line “it ain’t 2009 no more” adds to the poetic feel of the song and makes the listener think about the significance of that year to his life and what happened to make that year stand out. The significance of that year isn’t pinpointed at anything specific, but the listener can make some guesses based on his life. I think writing about a year or a specific time in one’s life is poetic and seen in many poems.

He then uses more rhyming to reference some of his personal issues with drugs.

Yeah, they ask me what I'm smilin' for
Well, because I've never been this high before
It's like I never felt alive before
Mhmm, I'd rather have me peace of mind than war

He also references the struggles of fame.

And sometimes, sometimes I wish I took a simpler route
Instead of havin' demons that's as big as my house, mhmm
Have a ball with a dribble and bounce
'Cause the party ain't over 'til they're kickin' me out, yeah
Isn't it funny? We can make a lot of money
Buy a lot of things just to feel a lot of ugly

Using more rhyme here, he addresses the beauty that having a simple life can bring and the struggles that come with fame. 2009 was right before his release of one of his most popular albums, “Kids”. During this time he was definitely famous.

Althogether, Mac Miller takes us through his life in the year 2009 through powerful verses and intense instrumental, making his song a poem.