Wordsworth's Ridge
Sufjan Stevens Lyrics


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A summer night
I find a boat
Tied to a tree
A normal home

She lost her string
I'm stepping in
I push the shore there
An act of stealth

A troubled glad without a voice
A mountain song, the boat moves on
The water runs on either side
The circle swell, a sudden light

Takes me

I fix my view
Upon the ridge
Horizon's eye
Above the gray sky

I tip my oar to raise the stroke
The wading swan, the image broke
A looming peak, a pirate size
Uprears its head, a sudden guise





Takes me

Overall Meaning

The song Wordsworth's Ridge by Sufjan Stevens depicts a peaceful summer night, with the singer finding a boat tied to a tree. He discovers that its owner has lost their string and decides to take the boat out on the water, silently paddling towards the horizon. As he moves through the water, the mountainous landscape around him comes alive with a "mountain song", and the boat "moves on" as if carried by the melody of the landscape. The water ebbs and flows around him in a "circle swell", and suddenly a light takes him, perhaps symbolizing an epiphany or moment of enlightenment.


As he takes in the beauty of his surroundings, the singer fixates his gaze on the Wordsworth's Ridge, a prominent peak on the horizon. He raises his oar to continue his journey, but as he does so, the reflection of a swan breaking the surface of the water breaks his concentration. He looks up again and sees the mountain peak looming before him like a pirate, as if daring him to go ahead. The sudden appearance of the mountain could also be interpreted as an interruption of his thoughts, a jolt back to reality from a moment of peaceful reflection.


The lyrics of this song may be interpreted in various ways, including as a metaphor for personal growth and the journey towards inner peace. The journey depicted in the song may also be seen as a literal one, where the singer is exploring a new landscape and experiencing the wonder and beauty of the natural world.


Line by Line Meaning

A summer night
The setting of the scene


I find a boat
The singer comes across a boat


Tied to a tree
The boat was anchored


A normal home
The location was ordinary


She lost her string
The boat was without a rope


I'm stepping in
The singer boards the boat


I push the shore there
The singer pushes the boat off the shore


An act of stealth
The artist sneaks away in the boat


A troubled glad without a voice
The artist feels both happy and sad without words


A mountain song, the boat moves on
The boat moves forward while the artist hears a song in the distance


The water runs on either side
The boat moves through the water


The circle swell, a sudden light
The waves push the boat forward, and something catches the artist's eye


Takes me
The singer is taken with wonder or curiosity


I fix my view
The singer focuses their gaze


Upon the ridge
The singer sees a ridge line in the distance


Horizon's eye
The ridge meets the horizon


Above the gray sky
The sky is gray


I tip my oar to raise the stroke
The singer adjusts their rowing technique


The wading swan, the image broke
The sight of a swan in the water is disrupted by something


A looming peak, a pirate size
An enormous and menacing mountain comes into view


Uprears its head, a sudden guise
The mountain appears suddenly, as if changing shape


Takes me
The artist is taken with surprise or awe




Contributed by Anna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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