Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_the_Well_(band)
Studio albums
The Opposite of December... A Season of Separation (1999)
Tear From the Red (2001)
You Come Before You (2003)
Versions (2007)
The Tropic Rot (2009)
Today
Poison the Well Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Day I've ever known
Can't live for tomorrow,
Tomorrow's much too long
I'll burn my eyes out
Before I get out
I wanted more
Than life could ever grant me
Of saving face
Today is the greatest
Day I've ever known
Can't wait for tomorrow
I might not have that long
I'll tear my heart out
Before I get out
Pink ribbon scars
That never forget
I tried so hard
To cleanse these regrets
My angel wings
Were bruised and restrained
My belly stings
Today is
Today is
Today is
The greatest day
I want to turn you on
I want to turn you on
I want to turn you on
I want to turn you
Today is the greatest
Today is the greatest day
Today is the greatest day
That I have ever really known
This song, "Today" by Poison the Well, is a powerful expression of the desire to live in the present moment, free from regret and fear. The opening lines, "Today is the greatest day I've ever known, can't live for tomorrow, tomorrow's much too long," convey a sense of urgency, of wanting to seize the day before it slips away. The singer seems to be willing to do anything to stay in this moment, even if it means burning out their eyes or tearing out their heart.
The repeated refrain of "Today is the greatest day" can be seen as a mantra, a way of affirming the present moment and rejecting the pull of the past and the future. The lines "My angel wings were bruised and restrained, my belly stings" suggest that the singer has been through some kind of hardship, but that they are determined to transcend it and find joy in the here and now. The repeated line "I want to turn you on" can be seen as an invitation to the listener to join in this celebration of life, to let go of their own worries and regrets and embrace the present moment.
Overall, "Today" is a powerful and emotional expression of the desire to live in the present and find joy in the midst of pain and hardship. It is a reminder to us all to cherish each moment we are given and to live our lives to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
Today is the greatest
This current moment is the most amazing or excellent one in the singer's life
Day I've ever known
This amazing or excellent moment is the best one that the singer has experienced
Can't live for tomorrow,
The singer cannot wait for tomorrow, as it is too far away to be lived for
Tomorrow's much too long
Tomorrow seems too far away and the artist therefore can't wait for it
I'll burn my eyes out
The artist is willing to go blind for this amazing moment to last forever
Before I get out
The singer will cause self-harm to prevent having to leave this amazing moment
I wanted more
The singer desired more than what was granted to them by life
Than life could ever grant me
The artist desired more than what was possible for them to receive in their lifetime
Bored by the chore
The task of maintaining appearances and concealing one's true feelings has become tedious for the artist
Of saving face
The artist is speaking about the difficulty of keeping up one's image or reputation
Can't wait for tomorrow
The singer is eagerly looking forward to tomorrow
I might not have that long
The artist is not certain they will have the opportunity to see tomorrow
I'll tear my heart out
The singer is willing to cause great harm to themselves to prevent needing to leave this euphoric moment
Pink ribbon scars
The pink scars are a reference to breast cancer awareness and are used to represent hurt or pain that never truly goes away
That never forget
The hurt or pain stays with the singer at all times and can never be fully erased from their memory
I tried so hard
The artist put in tremendous effort to cleanse themselves of prior regrets
To cleanse these regrets
The artist is speaking about cleaning themselves of sadness, pains, and regrets
My angel wings
This line describes the singer's dreams or aspirations
Were bruised and restrained
The singer faced barriers that prevented them from achieving their aspirations
My belly stings
This line suggests pain, disappointment, or sadness
Today is
The artist is speaking about how amazing the present moment is
Today is
The artist is speaking about how amazing the present moment is
Today is
The singer is speaking about how amazing the present moment is
The greatest day
The artist is emphasizing how amazing the present moment is by repeating it multiple times
I want to turn you on
The singer desires to influence or inspire the person they are addressing
I want to turn you on
The singer desires to influence or inspire the person they are addressing
I want to turn you on
The singer desires to influence or inspire the person they are addressing
I want to turn you
The artist desires to influence or inspire the person they are addressing
Today is the greatest
The artist is repeating their earlier statement about the present moment's greatness
Today is the greatest day
The singer is fully emphasizing how amazing the moment is
Today is the greatest day
The singer is fully emphasizing how amazing the moment is
That I have ever really known
The artist is saying that this moment is the most exceptional they have ever experienced
Contributed by Luke A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.