Love Is the Arrow

Song Meaning

The lyrics open with a profound sense of distance, yet an undeniable connection. "So many miles it seems" establishes a physical separation. This is immediately countered by the speaker's conviction that nothing can truly divide two lives. This internal certainty, felt "inside my mind," suggests a love transcending physical barriers. The core emotional tension arrives with the striking image of "Love is the arrow." This isn't a gentle affection, but a forceful, destined impact, flying straight and true. The target is described as a "deep and fallow hart," implying a heart that is empty or uncultivated, waiting to be pierced. The speaker's repeated question, "What am i to do," reveals a profound sense of helplessness or surrender in the face of this powerful, external force. The craft here lies in the stark contrast between the arrow's precise trajectory and the speaker's passive role. The lyrics paint a vast, indifferent universe with images of "another world to spin" and "a distant tide come in," yet the personal longing persists, like a lover waiting alone. This juxtaposition amplifies the singular, almost fated nature of the love described, making the speaker's internal experience feel both epic and deeply personal. What makes these lyrics effective is their ability to convey a love that feels both inevitable and overwhelming. The repeated chorus grounds the listener in the speaker's emotional state, while phrases like "before the ink is dry" create a sense of urgent, suspended anticipation. The final lines, reaching "into the highest cloud" and "beyond the slightest doubt," suggest a love that exists in an almost ethereal, pre-conscious space, powerful precisely because it's not yet fully tangible, existing just "Before the dream is woken."