Matthew Stephen Ward (b 4th October 1973, Newbury Park, California), known … Read Full Bio ↴Matthew Stephen Ward (b 4th October 1973, Newbury Park, California), known by his stage name M. Ward, is a U.S. singer-songwriter and guitarist who rose to prominence in the Portland, Oregon music scene. In addition to his solo work, he is known as a member of She & Him and Monsters of Folk.

Ward was previously with the band Rodriguez, which included bassist Kyle Field (of Little Wings fame) and drummer Mike Funk. They recorded and released on cassette Box Plots and Cash Crops and then the album Swing Like a Metronome in 2000. Duet for Guitars #2 was released on Howe Gelb's Ow Om record label. Ward's 2001 album, End of Amnesia, was released by Future Farmer Records, and his subsequent albums have been released on Merge Records. A collection of live recordings, Live Music & the Voices of Strangers, was a self-released disc that was sold at his shows. His next album, Transfiguration of Vincent, was released in 2003, followed by Transistor Radio in 2005. A year later, Post War was released.

In 2006, he contributed a song to, and helped produce, the John Fahey tribute album, I Am the Resurrection. He also contributed the song "Transfiguration #1" from Transfiguration of Vincent to the Brushfire Records soundtrack for A Brokedown Melody, a Jack Johnson surfing film.

His album, Hold Time, was released in 2009. The album A Wasteland Companion followed in 2012. The album title alludes to T.S. Eliot's 1922 modernist poem, The Waste Land. In 2016, he released More Rain. On June 8, 2018, M. Ward released What a Wonderful Industry.

Side Projects

In 2008 M. Ward combined forces with Zooey Deschanel and became She & Him. They have released two albums so far, Volume One in 2008 and Volume Two in 2010. He is also one fourth of the folk supergroup, Monsters of Folk, alongside Jim James from My Morning Jacket, and Conor Oberst & Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes. Their self-titled release, Monsters of Folk, was released in 2009.

* Official website

Poison Cup
M. Ward Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

One
One
One
One or two won't do
'Cause I want it all

And a sip
A sip

A sip or a spoonful won't do
No, I want it all

And I hope
I hope
Hope you know what I'm thinking of
I want all of your love
I need all of your love

She said "if love
If love
Is a poison cup
Then drink it up"

'Cause a sip
A sip
Or a spoonful won't do
Won't do nothing for you
Except mess you up"

And I hope
I hope
Hope you know what this means

I'm gonna give you everything
I'm gonna give you everything

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Poison Cup" by M. Ward depict a person who wants it all, including all of someone’s love. The song starts with repetitive lines of "One or two won't do, 'cause I want it all," emphasizing the importance of having everything. The singer craves for a deep and complete connection with someone and desires to give their everything to that person. They hope that the other person understands their feelings and, in turn, reciprocates their love.

The chorus of the song features a conversation between the singer and their lover. She likens love to a poison cup, saying that if it's a poison, then he should drink it up. She means that if love is harmful, it's worth the risk because taking just a sip or a spoonful wouldn’t be enough; it might even be detrimental. Thus, if he wants her love, he has to be prepared for all the consequences that it comes with. The singer wholeheartedly agrees; he understands that real and profound love can be bittersweet but worth everything.

Overall, the lyrics of "Poison Cup" are about the powerful sensation of all-consuming love. The singer decides to put everything on the line for their love and is fully committed to it, even if it comes with pain and risks.

Line by Line Meaning

One
I want more than one thing

One or two won't do
I want everything, not just a few things

'Cause I want it all
I want everything that is available

And a sip
I want a small amount

A sip
I want a small amount

A sip or a spoonful won't do
I want a large amount, not just a small amount

No, I want it all
I want everything that is available

And I hope
I'm optimistic

I hope
I'm optimistic

Hope you know what I'm thinking of
I hope you understand what I want

I want all of your love
I want all of your affection