I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 31

It is painfully hard for me to choose just one song from The National to highlight. One song that contains lyrics I revere. Because even among the songs from The National’s canon that I’m not as attached to musically, every single one seems to ring clearly with the everyday man poetry of Matt Berninger. “Mistaken For Strangers” features some of the finest string of words assembled together in the 21st century. “Showered and blue blazered.” “Fill yourself with quarters.” “Another un-innocent, elegant fall Into the un-magnificent lives of adults.” And this gem right here…

“Make up something to believe in your heart of hearts. So you have something to wear on your sleeve of sleeves. So you swear, you just saw a feathery woman carry a blindfolded man through the trees.”