Not The Leaving
Journey Beyond Farewell: Aoife O'Donovan's Melodic Reflection
Lyrics
Go and gather up your things
Prepare to leave and collect your belongings
For the long ride don't ask me
Don't inquire about the destination of the extended journey
"Where are we going?" It'll take time
The journey will take time, and uncertainty surrounds it
And the flowers, oh
Reference to flowers, possibly symbolizing beauty or life
The flowers will be buried under snow
Flowers will be covered by snow, suggesting a cold or difficult period
When the cold winds blow
Challenges and hardships represented by cold winds
But the lake changes quicker than you know
The lake undergoes unexpected changes
At the seaside
Transition to seaside imagery, possibly signifying change or reflection
Wading in the low tide in the shallows
Metaphorical representation of navigating through difficulties
In the wintertime
Winter symbolism, suggesting a challenging or cold phase
Stars in the western sky flicker and fade out
Stars fading may imply loss or fading hopes
But the water, oh, the water is shaking
The water reacts to external influences, portraying sensitivity
At the breeze from the high seas
Breeze from the high seas brings change
And the lake changes are bitter to my knees
Lake changes are difficult and challenging
Then I'll wade down i'm weighed down
Feeling burdened with memories and artifacts
With family photographs and relics I've found
The weight of the past is carried while going down
In a back room i'll be back soon
Promising a return despite leaving momentarily
I won't sink, I'll swim i'll be back soon
Confidence in resilience and the ability to come back
You and I
Suggesting collaboration to face challenges
Let's build a bonfire in the sand dunes
Building a bonfire symbolizes warmth and togetherness
And sit a while cheek-to-cheek
Sharing a moment of closeness
And I'll be humming your favorite tune
Humming a favorite tune signifies shared experiences
It's not the leaving that's grieving me
The act of leaving is not the source of grief
It's the thought of you alone
The thought of the other person being alone causes pain
Making my heart moan
The separation causes emotional distress
And when the lake changes, down the road I go
Reference to the inevitable changes in life
Then I'll wade down i'm weighed down
Reiteration of carrying the weight of memories
With family photographs and relics I've found
Continuing to carry family memories and relics
In a back room i'll be back soon
Promising a swift return despite the weight
I won't sink, I'll swim i'll be back soon
Confidently stating the ability to swim and not sink
Then I'll wade down i'm weighed down
Repeating the burden of memories
With family photographs and relics I've found
Continuing to carry family memories and relics
In a back room i'll be back soon
Promising a swift return despite the weight
I won't sink, I'll swim i'll be back soon
Confidently stating the ability to swim and not sink
I'll be back soon
Reiteration of the intention to return soon
Go and gather up your things
Repeat of the initial line, emphasizing the departure
For the long ride
Encouragement to prepare for a lengthy journey
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