Or
Rose Polenzani Lyrics
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hidden with France in her drawer.
There's another lilt on her,
and I draw it up, lissome and larkspur.
My hook or your bride
skeined around me, she smiles,
talks of you now and again,
sending me grillburns and gooseflesh.
Hey you with your words undone,
I'll be the powerful one.
I'm ready to leave all this wreckage behind me.
A three-month smoke,
tripping around old jokes.
Dig a Carolina well,
brimming with seedpods and eggshells.
String my three-petal-clad clover tight,
this is a long, split night,
green in the feet
and red hands.
chorus
Caught on the down,
lop released leaf spun brown.
She has a moon's hang and arc,
without my earshot or tongue-spark.
chorus
The lyrics of Rose Polenzani's song "Or" seem to be a stream of consciousness that might be difficult to interpret initially. It seems like the singer is talking about a woman who perhaps has eight red pills hidden in her drawer, and she also has a lilt or a change in behavior or personality. The singer draws her lissome and larkspur personality up, and then there's talk about a hook or a bride, which is a bit mysterious but evokes feelings of being stuck or trapped. This woman talks about someone else (presumably her partner) and sends the singer gooseflesh and grillburns, which could signal that there is some kind of attraction or tension between them, even though they are technically not involved.
Then, there's a shift in focus as the singer addresses someone directly, telling them that they have left their words undone and that the singer will be the powerful one. It's unclear who this person might be, but the tone is one of empowerment and readiness to move beyond a situation that might have caused pain, hence the mention of "leaving all this wreckage behind me." The singer then mentions a "three-month smoke" and tripping around old jokes, which could refer to a period of time spent trying to numb or distract oneself from a difficult situation. They then describe a Carolina well brimming with seedpods and eggshells, which seems to evoke a sense of renewal or rebirth. The mention of a split night also creates a sense of duality or division, and the color imagery (green feet and red hands) highlights this even further.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of being caught between different states or situations, whether it's the woman with the hidden pills or the split night with green and red colors. The singer seems to be searching for a way out and for a sense of power or agency in their own life. The chorus reinforces this by stating that they are ready to leave the wreckage behind and be the powerful one.
Line by Line Meaning
Eight red pills,
There are eight red pills hidden in a drawer belonging to France.
hidden with France in her drawer.
The pills are hidden inside a drawer that belongs to France.
There's another lilt on her,
France is experiencing a change in mood.
and I draw it up, lissome and larkspur.
The artist is trying to understand and capture France's new personality.
My hook or your bride
There is a potential conflict between the artist and someone else's significant other.
skeined around me, she smiles,
The significant other is friendly and engaging with the singer.
talks of you now and again,
The significant other occasionally mentions the other person in the conflict.
sending me grillburns and gooseflesh.
The artist is experiencing physical discomfort or unease from the situation.
Hey you with your words undone,
The artist is addressing someone who has not followed through on their promises.
I'll be the powerful one.
The artist is taking control of the situation.
I'm ready to leave all this wreckage behind me.
The singer is prepared to move on from the past and start anew.
A three-month smoke,
The artist has been smoking for three months.
tripping around old jokes.
The singer is reminiscing about funny moments from the past.
Dig a Carolina well,
The singer wants to dig a well in North Carolina.
brimming with seedpods and eggshells.
There are various natural materials in the well.
String my three-petal-clad clover tight,
The artist is holding onto a good luck charm tightly.
this is a long, split night,
The artist is experiencing a long and difficult evening.
green in the feet
The singer's feet are green.
and red hands.
The singer's hands are red.
Caught on the down,
The artist is feeling down.
lop released leaf spun brown.
A leaf has fallen off a tree and turned brown.
She has a moon's hang and arc,
Someone else has a mysterious or elusive personality.
without my earshot or tongue-spark.
The singer is not communicating or interacting with this person.
Contributed by Annabelle P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.