Song Meaning

The narrator feels adrift, caught in a powerful emotional current that sweeps them along. They describe being "lost on the vale of emotion," tossed like a stone and held like a leaf, emphasizing a lack of agency. Yet, this feeling of being lost is intertwined with a sense of past joy and freedom, recalling a time when "our hearts were full" and they "could live beyond control." This tension between being lost and the memory of being free is central. The lyrics suggest a past decision, perhaps a year prior, to embrace life and follow a new course, symbolized by the train pulling west. This choice, made in "quiet haste," was a commitment to live fully, even if it meant leaving something behind. The narrator's present state of being lost seems to be a consequence of that bold, perhaps impulsive, embrace of life. The imagery of the "wineglass gleams in the candlelight" and thoughts cast on a "self same fire" paints a picture of intense, fleeting passion. The narrator acknowledges being "aware of the weight but not the load," indicating a willingness to pursue immediate desires without fully considering future consequences. The line "I won't deal with tomorrow till I'm through with today" solidifies this commitment to living in the moment, even as it contributes to their current feeling of being lost. Ultimately, the lyrics capture a complex emotional state where profound feelings of being swept away are balanced by a remembered exhilaration and a present dedication to immediate experience. The repeated assertion of being "lost" isn't purely negative; it's framed by a past fullness of heart and a present, fiery embrace of life's unpredictable flow.