Song Meaning
“Forgotten Language” immediately plunges the listener into a wistful memory. The narrator recalls a profound, almost magical connection with the natural world. They once conversed with “language of the flowers” and understood caterpillars. This past is painted with vivid, intimate detail.
The lyrics establish a stark contrast between this rich, communicative past and a confused, disconnected present. The narrator recounts a time of deep empathy, where they “smiled in secret” with starlings and “shared a conversation” with a housefly. This isn't just observing nature; it's being an active, understanding participant in its intricate life.
The power here lies in the specific, almost whimsical anthropomorphism. It's not just “nature,” but the “gossip of the starlings” and the “questions of the crickets” that highlight a truly reciprocal relationship. Even the “falling dying flake of snow” evokes a shared, poignant understanding of impermanence, making the past connection feel incredibly profound and deeply felt.
The emotional gut punch arrives with the abrupt shift from detailed recollection to the bewildered “How did it go?” This isn't just forgetting a language; it's forgetting *how* to access a fundamental way of being.
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