You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And ask him do you want to make a deal?
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all kinds of precious gifts and things
But you'd better lift your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Title: Like a Rolling Stone
Poet: Bob Dylan (Note: The text provided is not the original lyrics; it appears to be a re‑imagined or heavily altered version.)
Poetic Structure and Form
The poem is organized into several stanzas that follow a repeating refrain: “How does it feel… To be on your own / With no direction home / Like a complete unknown / Like a rolling stone?” This refrain functions as a lyrical anchor, echoing Dylan’s original chorus while inviting readers to contemplate the existential theme of alienation.
Language and Imagery
- Metaphor of the Rolling Stone: The stone, traditionally associated with movement and stubbornness, symbolizes a life that is constantly shifting, lacking permanence.
- Urban and Rural Juxtaposition: References to “chrome horse,” “Siamese cat,” and “juggler” evoke a surreal urban circus, while “bum’s dime” and “street” ground the poem in gritty reality.
- Contrasting Wealth and Poverty: Lines such as “you threw the bums a dime” versus “scrounging for your next meal” highlight the protagonist’s loss of status.
Themes and Motifs
- Loss of Identity: The narrator’s former confidence (“you used to laugh”) dissolves into uncertainty.
- Alienation from Society: The repeated question “How does it feel” underscores a disconnect between the individual and communal norms.
- Survival and Adaptation: The poem explores the necessity of learning to survive “on the street,” a metaphor for navigating life’s hardships.
Poetic Devices
- Repetition: The refrain emphasizes the cyclical nature of existential questioning.
- Allusion: Mentions of “Napoleon” and “diamond ring” allude to historical and material symbols of power.
- Contrast: The juxtaposition of “rich” and “poor” imagery reinforces the theme of social stratification.
Interpretive Commentary
This rendition transforms Dylan’s classic into a modern reflection on identity crisis and societal detachment. The narrator moves from a privileged past to an uncertain future, with the refrain acting as a haunting echo of their internal turmoil. The poem invites readers to question what it truly means to “be a rolling stone” in contemporary culture.
Note: The text differs significantly from the original lyrics of Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.” This analysis treats it as an independent poetic work inspired by the original.
More poems by Bob Dylan
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