Wilderness Will Wait

Song Meaning

The narrator claims the "wilderness will wait," a promise made while they're actively seeking the spotlight and the energy of the crowd. This sets up an immediate tension between a desire for external validation and a deeper, perhaps more solitary, calling. The lyrics suggest a conscious choice to engage with the 'city lights' and 'arms of boys and girls,' framing this period as a necessary phase for sowing 'oats' before a promised return to nature. This pursuit of the exterior, as the lyrics put it, is framed as a youthful endeavor, a time for experiencing life's more social and perhaps superficial aspects. Yet, even amidst this outward focus, there's a persistent connection to the natural world. The image of the "hollow of a tree" waiting implies a quiet, enduring sanctuary, a stark contrast to the bustling urban environment the narrator currently inhabits. The most striking aspect is the personification of the forest as a silent, ever-present companion. "A piece of forest comes with me," the lyrics state, observing both "little wins" and "great disappointments." This internal wilderness offers reassurance, a constant reminder that the eventual return is not just a possibility but a certainty, a comforting anchor in the transient experiences of city life.