Song Meaning
These lyrics open with a striking image: "Cloud squadrons in unclear contours" gathering "around the west." It immediately sets a scene of transition, perhaps the end of a day, but with an unexpected, almost military precision to the natural world.
The central image then shifts to the sun, which is described as being wrapped "like a pie in smoking incense." This vivid metaphor is both mundane and deeply spiritual. The sun, a cosmic entity, becomes a simple, consumable "pie," yet it's enveloped in the ceremonial smoke of "incense," suggesting a ritualistic farewell or a sacred transformation unfolding in the sky.
Suddenly, the focus shifts entirely with the repeated declaration: "That brother belonged to them." This abrupt, human-centric statement, chanted multiple times, introduces a profound sense of relationship and ownership into the cosmic tableau. It's intensely ambiguous, leaving the listener to ponder who "that brother" is, and who "them" might be, grounding the grand natural event in a deeply personal, yet unexplained, human context.
Ultimately, the power of these lyrics lies in their evocative ambiguity and the unexpected juxtaposition of images. The blend of a majestic sunset with the humble "pie" and the solemn "incense," followed by the cryptic human declaration, creates a haunting, almost ritualistic atmosphere. It's a brief but potent meditation on endings, belonging, and the unseen connections that bind us, all against the backdrop of a world in flux.