Thinking outrageously I write in cursive
I hide in my bed with the lights on the floor
Wearing three layers of coats and leg warmers
I see my own breath on the face of the door

Oh I am not quite sleeping
Oh I am fast in bed
There on the wall in the bedroom creeping
I see a wasp with her wings outstretched

North of Sylvanna we swim in the Palisades
I come out wearing my brothers red hat
There on his shoulder my best friend is bit seven times
He runs washing his face in his hands

Oh how I meant to tease him
Oh how I meant no harm
Touching his back with my hand I kiss him
I see the wasp on the length of my arm

Oh great sights upon this state, hallelu
Wonders bright, and rivers, lake, hallelu
Trail of tears and Horseshoe Lake, hallelu
Trusting things beyond mistake, hallelu

We were in love, we were in love
Palisades, Palisades
I can wait I can wait

We were in love, we were in love
Palisades, Palisades
I can wait I can wait

We were in love, we were in love
Palisades, Palisades
I can wait I can wait

I can't explain the state that I'm in
The state of my heart, he was my best friend
Into the car, from the back seat
Oh admiration in falling asleep
All of my powers, day after day
I can tell you, we swaggered and swayed
Deep in the tower, the prairies below
I can tell you, the telling gets old
Terrible sting and terrible storm
I can tell you the day we were born
My friend is gone, he ran away
I can tell you, I love him each day
Though we have sparred, wrestled and raged
I can tell you I love him each day
Terrible sting, terrible storm
I can tell you


Lyrics submitted by addictedtosound, edited by atirashea, lockedinatower

The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is out to Get Us! Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us! song meanings
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    General Comment

    Serilliant, I completely agree. Being bundled up with clothes, on the floor, "thinking outrageously" and writing in cursive in a journal, just.... screams adolescence. I think the best friend incident is indeed a flashback, but not from that far into the future.

    Secondly... I had always interpreted this as being between two boys. Someone said that if Sufjan had intended this to be from a woman's perspective he would've made it more clear, and I agree. They're very young, and just discovering their feelings... the 'best friend' seems to be more conflicted with this than the narrator, thus, the running away.

    Innocence, yes, but laced with the dawning of realization.

    parttimecynicon April 17, 2006   Link

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