While NWA may be credited with pioneering a movement through their music, protest songs are often part of existing campaigns. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "They invigorate the movement in a very significant way [...] these songs of freedom serve to give unity to a movement" (Famous). After the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, a new anti-war movement began, and as a result, many musicians took up their craft to provide the spirit of the movement. One of the songs associated with this anti-conflict crusade is “16 Military Wives” by The Decemberists. However, unlike the lyrics of "Express Yourself", the song takes a more symbolic approach in communicating the grievances that the author, Colin Meloy, has towards the situation and the Bush administration. Initially, Meloy talks about the tragedy and struggle of being the widow of someone lost in battle. Sings: Sixteen Military Wives Thirty-two brightly colored, delicately focused eyes Staring As mentioned above, the ability to bring out emotion is one of the greatest tools of language, and by having another person to visualize, the listener can easily understand the gravity of the situation. , even if it is expressed only through singing. The lyrics continue this trend by intensifying the human aspect of the Iraq war by describing the tears of wives whose only consolation is a personalized condolence letter. Encapsulating feelings into words is one of the most important aspects of using dialogue. The literary device of pathos, an appeal to the audience's emotions that arouses feelings that already reside within them. In mass communication methods, transmitting information to large populations at a time, provoking feelings in other individuals is an extremely powerful method. treatment. One that can not only launch a movement, but also ignite a spark