Creative License

I am probably as bad as it gets when it comes to being obsessively pursuant of good grammar, proper use of words, proper pronunciation, etc.

I also understand, however, that there is such a thing as creative license, that is, the misuse of words intentionally because of the effect that they might create.

I was just thinking how Paul Simon's song "Homeward Bound" is a perfect example of creative license. The song just wouldn't be the same if Simon were to be grammatically correct. "I wish I were homeward bound", while grammatically correct, doesn't sound as good as "I wish I was homeward bound".

That said, had that line not been the chorus, and had the structure of the song not been so that there was a couple of beat delay between "was" and "homeward bound", I might think differently.

Context.