The Time of the Turning (Reprise) / The Weavers Reel

Song Meaning

The lyrics open with a quiet, almost conspiratorial question: "Did you see it move?" A subtle, unseen shift is detected, hinting at a pervasive, personal change. This immediate sense of mystery quickly expands into a broader, urgent declaration. The central emotional tension here is the stark, unavoidable transition from an "old world's falling" to a new reality. The lyrics emphasize a profound powerlessness against this shift, declaring that nothing can stop its emergence. This isn't a gentle evolution but a forceful, inevitable "turning" that demands a poignant, collective letting go. A key craft element is how the lyrics ground this monumental shift in tangible, personal imagery. The speaker initially senses the change "in this very cloth that I weave," making the grand "time of the turning" feel intimately connected to individual creation. This personal observation then expands, suggesting an external, almost elemental force that can be felt slipping away if one truly pays attention.