In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Emma appeared like an angel.
Emma fell like rain
Into my lap like a heart attack.
Like lightning from her name
I'm running dry of bad excuses.
Don't want to lie or seem intrusive, but
Time hasn't told me anything,
And neither has she
A poinsettia in poison rain...
Traded true love for insult and injury
We washed it down the drain with
One silver bullet and two vicodin
Emma woke up in darkness,
Suitcase already packed
Note on the bedstand signed in blood,
"sincerely, never coming back."
A nightmare on my street the day she arrived
A nightmarish household in which she died,
'cause it made her feel at home
Somehow made me feel at home
A poinsetta in poison rain...
Traded true love for insult and injury
We washed it down the drain with
One wooden stake through the heart, and two vicodin
A poinsetta in poison rain...
Traded true love for insult and injury
We washed it down the drain with
One silver bullet and two vicodin
And we watched the sun fall crown
On a city that sleeps in a world upside down
A slow ticket straight out of town
You went out with a bang when you took
With you all my dreams underground
Emma fell like rain
Into my lap like a heart attack.
Like lightning from her name
I'm running dry of bad excuses.
Don't want to lie or seem intrusive, but
Time hasn't told me anything,
And neither has she
A poinsettia in poison rain...
Traded true love for insult and injury
We washed it down the drain with
One silver bullet and two vicodin
Emma woke up in darkness,
Suitcase already packed
Note on the bedstand signed in blood,
"sincerely, never coming back."
A nightmare on my street the day she arrived
A nightmarish household in which she died,
'cause it made her feel at home
Somehow made me feel at home
A poinsetta in poison rain...
Traded true love for insult and injury
We washed it down the drain with
One wooden stake through the heart, and two vicodin
A poinsetta in poison rain...
Traded true love for insult and injury
We washed it down the drain with
One silver bullet and two vicodin
And we watched the sun fall crown
On a city that sleeps in a world upside down
A slow ticket straight out of town
You went out with a bang when you took
With you all my dreams underground
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Matt said this song was about a girl in middle school named Emma who seemed to have a weird relation with their teacher because one day she kicked him in the nuts.