How

Song Meaning

Marcus Mumford's "How," featuring Brandi Carlile, doesn't tiptoe around trauma; it stares directly into the abyss of forgiveness. The opening lines hint at a deep, possibly abusive past, probing "what was done to you / To give you such a taste for flesh." It's a chilling suggestion of inherited pain, a cycle of violence that Mumford seems desperate to break. The pre-chorus is particularly evocative, haunted by an "awful maple light," suggesting a specific, searing memory. The plea to have it "done in the dark" speaks volumes about the desire to bury the past, to avoid the harsh glare of exposure and the permanence of photographic evidence. The maple tree itself becomes a recurring motif, a symbol of something beautiful corrupted by darkness. The core of "How" lies in its repeated, almost desperate assertion of forgiveness. "But I'll forgive you now / Release you from all of the blame I know how." The repetition isn't confident; it's a mantra, a fragile attempt to manifest a feeling that doesn't come naturally. The line "as if saying the words will help me know how" is the crux of the song's emotional tension. It exposes the performative aspect of forgiveness, the struggle to reconcile intellectual understanding with deeply ingrained pain. Forgiveness, in this context, isn't a gift freely given, but a laborious process of self-excavation. Verse two introduces complex religious and historical imagery. The reference to the "Shahanshah" and rebuilding the "walls of my Jerusalem" elevates the personal struggle to a grander, almost mythic scale. It speaks to the immense effort required to rebuild a shattered sense of self, to reclaim agency after trauma. The act of killing "that liar in my head" and burying him beneath the maple tree signifies a decisive rejection of self-blame and internalized negativity. Mumford, with Carlile's haunting harmonies, acknowledges the arduous journey, the time it will take to truly forgive, but the willingness to confront the past head-on offers a glimmer of hope. The song's raw vulnerability, coupled with its sophisticated lyrical tapestry, makes it a powerful exploration of the complexities of forgiveness and healing.