Wish You Were Here
Yearning for Absence: A Bittersweet Ode
Lyrics
Leave me something to find when you go
Expressing a desire for the person leaving to leave something meaningful behind.
Draw a map or use a piece of string
Suggesting ways for the person to leave a trace or guide for the speaker to follow.
It's getting dark and you're out of smokes
Indicating a sense of urgency or concern as darkness falls, possibly metaphorical.
The things we used to hide behind everything
Reflecting on the past when they used to hide behind certain things.
But I, I'm not wrong to wish you were stronger
Acknowledging the speaker's belief that it's not wrong to wish the departing person had more strength.
I'm glad that you're gone but I think that I'm the goner
Expressing a contradictory feeling of relief at the person's departure but also a sense of personal decline.
I pray for a good year, for that all to disappear
Expressing a desire for a better future and for past issues to fade away.
I'm glad that you're gone
Reiterating a sense of relief at the person's absence.
But I wish you were here
Contrasting the relief with a deep longing for the person to be present despite their departure.
I knew you once but then I didn't
Highlighting a change in familiarity with the person, from knowing to not knowing them.
We shared some clothes but then we didn't
Describing a shift in the relationship from sharing to not sharing.
And you asked me to dance but I said that I shouldn't
Recalling a past invitation to dance that was declined.
But you only asked because you knew that I wouldn't
Suggesting that the invitation to dance was insincere, knowing it would be rejected.
But I, I'm not wrong to wish you were stronger
Reiterating the belief that it's not wrong to wish for the person to be stronger.
I'm glad that you're gone but I think that I'm the goner
Repeating the conflicting emotions of being glad for the departure but feeling like the speaker is the one suffering.
I pray for a good year, for that all to disappear
Repeating the desire for a positive future and the disappearance of past troubles.
I'm glad that you're gone
Reaffirming the relief at the person's absence.
But I wish you were here
Reiterating the contradiction of being glad for the departure but still wishing for the person to be present.
But I, I'm not wrong to wish you were stronger
Restating the belief that it's not wrong to desire strength in the departed person.
I'm glad that you're gone but I think that I'm the goner
Repeating the mixed emotions of being glad for the departure but feeling like the speaker is the one suffering.
I pray for a good year, for that all to disappear
Reiterating the hope for a positive future and the disappearance of past troubles.
I'm glad that you're gone
Reaffirming the relief at the person's absence.
But I wish you were here
Expressing a final longing for the person despite being glad they are gone.
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