Carry You Around
Carrying Life's Echoes: Ani DiFranco's Poetic Reflections
Lyrics
How pleased can one
Reflects on the extent of joy derived from a sunset.
Sun setting make you
Asks how much happiness one can derive from a setting sun.
If you humble yourself
Poses the question of being humble in the face of nature's beauty.
To it?
Asks if one can humble oneself to appreciate the sunset.
How grateful can you
Queries the depth of gratitude one can genuinely express.
Really say that you are
Asking how sincere one's gratitude for existence truly is.
Just to be here and live
Expresses appreciation for merely being alive.
Through it?
Gratitude for surviving life's challenges.
And when beauty asks a question
Poses how often one responds to beauty's inquiries.
How often do you reply?
How frequently one ponders life beyond the present.
How often do you wonder
Questions about existence beyond current emotions like sorrow or rage.
About life on the other side?
Reflects on life's difficulties beyond the current state of being okay.
On the other side of sorrow
Life beyond grief and pain.
On the other side of rage
Life beyond intense anger.
On the other side of okay
Life beyond being just 'okay.'
Okay at all
Not feeling okay in any manner.
In any way
Imagining the depth of loneliness pushing someone to extreme actions.
Imagine what loneliness
Considering the impact of loneliness.
Will drive someone to do
Reflects on how intense loneliness affects actions.
Now multiply that times me
Considering the combined impact of individual loneliness.
And multiply that times you
Multiplying the effect of loneliness experienced by both individuals.
Now imagine what it would take to make this all happen again
Imagining the scale of circumstances necessary to recreate events.
And just when you think you're gonna cry
Describes an overwhelming emotional response, nearing tears.
Multiply that times ten
Imagining a higher emotional intensity, tenfold.
You
Refers to the listener or someone significant being addressed.
Are distracting me
Indicates a distraction caused by the addressed person.
From all other activities
Expresses the overwhelming focus on the addressed person.
And I know the fact of your presence
Recognition that the presence of the person will dominate memory.
Will dominate my memory
Acknowledges the impact on memory of specific moments.
Of this restaurant, this table
Enumerates the details affected by the addressed person's presence.
This day and this town
Specifies the encompassing effect of the person's presence on the current moment and surroundings.
'cause I carry you baby
Declares the metaphorical 'carrying' of the addressed person in thoughts or emotions.
I carry you around
Reiterates the metaphorical 'carrying' of the addressed person.
Comment