“Casimir Pulaski Day”

Lyrics by Sufjan Stevens from his forthcoming album, Come On Feel the Illinoise

Goldenrod and the 4-H 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 your 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
And your shirt tucked in and your shoes untied
And you told me not to follow you

Sunday night when I clean the house
I find the card where you wrote it out
with the pictures of your 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 moring, in the winter shade,
On the first 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 in lieu of a review of Come on Feel the Illinoise, a new album by Sufjan Stevens, indie rock darling and secret Christian pop star, forthcoming in July. It’s good. Even if you don’t like this stuff (indie pop, or Christian music).