Song Meaning
The narrator declares themselves a "subject of the wind," someone attuned to its calls and guided by its direction. They wake with the scent of tea roses and move towards the dawn, embracing the world with a joy akin to a deer breathing deeply. This connection to the wind is a source of deep pleasure, described as gentle, fragrant, and warm.
The lyrics paint a picture of a life lived in harmony with natural cycles. The wind carries the scent of grain and strawberries in the morning, but also the sharp edge of a storm-breaker in the evening, suggesting the narrator accepts both the gentle and the fierce aspects of existence. This duality is woven into their being, as they state, "When evening comes, I am entwined here."
The most striking element is the narrator's perspective on their final moments. They wish for no mournful trumpets when "eternity's sand" covers them, but instead, for the wind to sing throughout their funeral day. This desire for the wind's continued presence, even in death, underscores their profound identification with its elemental force, wanting it to remain "gentle, fragrant, and warm."
Ultimately, the lyrics resonate because they articulate a deep, almost spiritual, surrender to the natural world. The narrator finds solace and purpose not in control, but in listening and yielding to the unseen currents that shape their life and, they hope, their passing. The final repetition of falling asleep with jasmine reinforces this sense of peaceful, fragrant transition, guided by the wind's embrace.
