It is written in the style of a sonnet, a short poem of 14 lines.
In the first two stanzes, she explains how she killed it, how she kept it, how she displayed it with pride on her wall.
In the last two stanzes, she expresses a kind of regrets : she knows what she did is bad, and she may have to answer to her actions before an higher entity.
Her excuse is the poacher’s pride
Poacher's Pride
Nicole Dollanganger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I should have set it free, but I let it bleed
Made it into taxidermy, hung it on my wall
On my wall
I shot an angel, kept it in my backyard
Hung it out to dry on the clothing line
Pinned above my bed like the cross
On the wall
And I know one day hell will catch up with me
And I’m sure that I will burn eternally
One day it will come to claim its pound of flesh
When it’s done, there won’t be anything left
I shot an angel, dragged it to my basement
Starved it till it died and I did not cry
Sickness of poacher’s pride
The lyrics to Nicole Dollanganger's song "Poacher's Pride" depict the disturbing tale of someone who has killed an angel and hung it up as a trophy. The singer in the song laments their actions, confessing that they should have set the angel free, but chose to let it bleed out and then turned it into taxidermy. The angel is now displayed on their wall like a hunting prize. The singer also admits to keeping the angel in their backyard and hanging it out to dry on the clothesline, as well as pinning it above their bed like a religious symbol.
These actions showcase the twisted pride of a poacher who believes that they have accomplished something great, when in reality they have committed a heinous act. The haunting lyrics are made even more chilling by the matter-of-fact tone in which they are delivered. The singer is fully aware of the consequences of their actions, proclaiming that one day they will be punished for what they have done and that they will burn eternally in hell. The overall message of the song is a warning against the dangers of unchecked pride and the harm that can come from pursuing something without thought for the consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
I shot an angel with my father’s rifle
I killed something pure and innocent using a tool that's supposed to protect and provide for me, passed down by the one who's supposed to guide and nurture me
I should have set it free, but I let it bleed
I knew that what I was doing was wrong, but I still chose to do it anyway and let the consequences bleed out
Made it into taxidermy, hung it on my wall
I turned something that was once alive and vibrant into a lifeless decoration, something that I can look at and admire without feeling any guilt or remorse
On my wall
I've made it a permanent fixture in my life, a constant reminder of my wrongdoing
I shot an angel, kept it in my backyard
I've hidden the evidence of my crime in a place that's supposed to be safe and private, where no one would ever suspect me of wrongdoing
Hung it out to dry on the clothing line
I've treated something divine and pure like a piece of dirty laundry, hanging it out in the sun to dry and fade away
Pinned above my bed like the cross of Jesus Christ
I've turned something sacred and holy into something that I can use as a source of comfort and protection, something that can calm me down and help me sleep at night
And I know one day hell will catch up with me
I'm aware that what I'm doing is wrong and that eventually I'll have to face the consequences of my actions
And I’m sure that I will burn eternally
I'm convinced that I'll be punished severely for what I've done and that I'll suffer for all eternity as a result
One day it will come to claim its pound of flesh
The punishment that I'll face will be severe and appropriate for the crime that I've committed
When it’s done, there won’t be anything left
I'll be completely destroyed and consumed by the punishment that I'll face, to the point where there won't be anything left of me
I shot an angel, dragged it to my basement
I didn't even have the decency to dispose of the evidence properly, instead opting to hide it away in a dark, hidden place
Starved it till it died and I did not cry
I not only killed something innocent and pure, but I also made it suffer and die a slow, painful death without feeling any empathy or remorse
Sickness of poacher’s pride
The root cause of my actions is a sickness, a twisted sense of pride that makes me feel like I'm above the law and above morality, that I can do whatever I want without any consequences
Contributed by Lucas Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.