Hourglass
Unraveling Human Pride: Hourglass by Mask of Prospero
Lyrics
Our ego raise our empires
Our ego is responsible for building our empires.
we are whole and one
As a collective, we are complete and unified.
The hourglass
Refers to the symbol of an hourglass, often representing the passage of time.
we are a thousand grains of sand
Together, we form numerous individual entities, like grains of sand in an hourglass.
Conceit built our thrones
Our arrogance constructed our seats of power.
now we ignore our human nature
We have detached from our inherent human qualities.
sly shimmering eyes that stare at the sun
Describes cunning eyes gazing directly at the sun, possibly symbolizing arrogance or blindness to reality.
stare at the sun
Repetition emphasizes the act of staring at the sun, possibly signifying arrogance or a refusal to acknowledge truth.
our foolishness in pride
Our foolish pride is evident in our actions.
So, shapes of shadows
Abstractly refers to the transformation of shadows into distinct forms.
Become the shelters of our lives
These transformed shadows become the foundations of our existence.
So we became our own strangers
We have become estranged from ourselves, losing familiarity.
Who decides who survives?
Raises a question about the arbitrary determination of survival.
Picking pieces off the ground
We are metaphorically picking up the remnants of our shattered aspirations.
Vanished all, dreams and hopes
All dreams and hopes have disappeared.
castles of greed
Refers to the collapse of structures built on greed.
Perish to the ground
Everything built on a foundation of avarice crumbles.
We are whole and one
Reiterates the idea of unity as a complete entity.
The hourglass
Recalls the hourglass as a symbol of passing time.
we're a thousand grains of sand
We collectively make up countless individual components like grains of sand.
We've left no trace of our obsessions
We have erased any evidence of our obsessions.
hiding in names without our faces
We hide behind identities, divorcing ourselves from our true essence.
but when we're dreaming we see the end
In dreams, we foresee the ultimate conclusion or demise.
we see the end
Repetition emphasizes the prophetic nature of dreams about the end.
Is this the world you've dreaming of?
Poses a question about the desirability of the world we collectively envision.
So, shapes of shadows
Similar to line 12, suggesting a recurrence of the transformation of shadows into tangible forms.
Become the shelters of our lives
These transformed shadows now serve as the foundations of our lives.
So we became our own strangers
We have become strangers to our own essence and existence.
Who decides who survives?
Raises the existential question of who determines survival and its criteria.
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