2000'li yılların müzik dünyasına en mükemmel armağanlarından biri olan 1975 doğumlu, 20'ye yakın enstrümanı ustalıkla çalabilen Michigan'lı singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens'ın 2005 tarihli başyapıtı "Illinois" albümünün en sevdiğim şarkısı bu. Şarkının kendi videosu (hatta bildiğim kadarıyla hiçbir parçasının videosu) yok ama YouTube'da bir hayranının yaptığı bu klibi okuyanlarla paylaşmak istiyorum. İnanılmaz derecede hüzünlü sözleri olan harikulade şarkının mısralarından bire bir esinlenerek çekilen bu naif video, öylesine bir "samimiyet" barındırıyor ki, insanın gözleri yaşarabilir. Umarım birileri de benim gibi sever.Golden rod and the 4-H stoneThe things I brought youWhen I found out you had cancer of the boneYour father cried on the telephoneAnd he drove his car to the Navy yardJust to prove that he was sorryIn the morning through the window shadeWhen the light pressed up against your shoulder bladeI could see what you were readingOh the glory that the lord has madeAnd the complications you could do withoutWhen I kissed you on the mouthTuesday night at the bible studyWe lift our hands and pray over your bodyBut nothing ever happensI remember at Michael's houseIn the living room when you kissed my neckAnd I almost touched your blouseIn the morning at the top of the stairsWhen your father found out what we did that nightAnd you told me you were scaredOh the glory when you ran outsideWith your shirt tucked in and your shoes untiedAnd you told me not to follow youSunday night when I cleaned the houseI find the card where you wrote it outWith the pictures of your motherOn the floor at the great divideWith my shirt tucked in and my shoes untiedI am crying in the bathroomIn the morning when you finally goAnd the nurse runs in with her head hung lowAnd the cardinal hits the windowIn the morning in the winter shadeOn the first of March on the holidayI thought I saw you breathingOh the glory that the lord has madeAnd the complications when I see his faceIn the morning in the windowOh the glory when he took our placeBut he took my shoulders and he shook my faceAnd he takes and he takes and he takes