Lyrics
My only child, be not so blind
Expressing concern to the only child, urging them not to be oblivious.
See what you hold
Encouraging the child to recognize the significance of what they possess.
There are no words, no ears, no eyes
Highlighting a lack of adequate means (words, ears, eyes) to convey understanding.
To show them what you know
Stressing the difficulty in expressing one's knowledge to others.
Their hands are old their faces cold
Describing aged hands and cold faces, emphasizing vulnerability.
Their bodies close to freezing
Portraying elders with bodies close to freezing, suggesting fragility.
Their feelings find the morning small
Describing emotions that struggle to emerge in the morning, constricted and small.
Too small to fill their ways with breathing
Expressing the limitations in expressing oneself and the struggle to breathe through life's challenges.
The evening tall
Contrasting the smallness of the morning with the towering challenges of the evening.
My only child, remember well
Advising the child to remember and heed the words they receive.
The words that you are told
Emphasizing the importance of the guidance given to the child.
For some of them, it is only easy to survive
Suggesting that survival is not easy for some, implying life's hardships.
Their hands are old their faces cold
Repeating the imagery of aged hands and cold faces, reinforcing vulnerability.
Their bodies close to freezing
Reiterating the fragile state of bodies close to freezing.
Their feelings find the morning small
Highlighting the difficulty of expressing emotions in the constrained morning.
The evening tall
Repeating the contrast between the smallness of the morning and the towering challenges of the evening.
Man and wife are feasting the time
Depicting a married couple enjoying a feast, reflecting on the past.
The time that lies behind
Referring to a bygone time that holds significance.
At home, in sweetness and delight
Describing a home filled with sweetness and delight.
Drinking the bitter wine
Metaphorically mentioning bitter wine, alluding to life's challenges.
Their hands are old their faces cold
Repeating the portrayal of aged hands and cold faces in a different context.
Their bodies close to freezing
Reiterating the vulnerability of bodies close to freezing.
Their feelings find the morning small
Re-emphasizing the struggle to express emotions in the morning.
The evening tall
Repeating the contrast between the smallness of the morning and the challenges of the evening.
Comment