Goldenrod and the 4H stone
The things I brought you
When I found out you had cancer of the bone

Your father cried on the telephone
And he drove his car into the navy yard
Just to prove that he was sorry

In the morning, through the window shade
When the light pressed up against your shoulder blade
I could see what you were reading

All the glory that the Lord has made
And the complications you could do without
When I kissed you on the mouth

Tuesday night at the Bible study
We lift our hands and pray over your body
But nothing ever happens

I remember at Michael's house
In the living room when you kissed my neck
And I almost touched your blouse

In the morning at the top of the stairs
When your father found out what we did that night
And you told me you were scared

All the glory when you ran outside
With your shirt tucked in and your shoes untied
And you told me not to follow you

Sunday night when I cleaned the house
I find the card where you wrote it out
With the pictures of you mother

On the floor at the great divide
With my shirt tucked in and my shoes untied
I am crying in the bathroom

In the morning when you finally go
And the nurse runs in with her head hung low
And the cardinal hits the window

In the morning in the winter shade
On the 1st of March on the holiday
I thought I saw you breathing

All the glory that the Lord has made
And the complications when I see His face
In the morning in the window

All the glory when he took our place
But he took my shoulders and he shook my face
And he takes and he takes and he takes


Lyrics submitted by downhillracer, edited by Stockholm

Casimir Pulaski Day Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Casimir Pulaski Day song meanings
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  • +6
    General Comment

    I don't know if it's been commented on yet, but I really like the recurring phrase "shirt tucked-in and shoes untied." Obviously there's no single interpretation, but to me this is just an amazing metaphor for someone putting on a strong face (appearing strong) while actually crumbling inside.

    Think about it, what do people usually tuck their shirts in for? To be a little more formal, or to look a little more "put together." That being said, a tucked-in shirt is simply an aesthetic choice - it's not going to help you or hinder you in any meaningful way outside of perceptions.

    Now think about an untied shoe coupled with that tucked-in shirt. Unlike the shirt, an untied-shoe will probably not be the first thing you notice about someone - it's a little hidden, below the eyes. Also, unlike the shirt, untied shoes are more than simply an aesthetic difference, they can literally cause someone to trip and fall down.

    So to me, it's a perfect way of showing how these two people, in the middle of an incredibly difficult time, are putting on a smiling, strong facade (tucked-in shirt), while being functionally, at their very roots, "untied."

    IndieLoveron March 06, 2009   Link

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