“Love and Fortune and my mind, rememb’rer”

Song Meaning

This lament paints a picture of a soul utterly consumed by past joys and present despair. The opening lines immediately establish a trio of tormentors: love, fortune, and the narrator's own mind. These aren't abstract concepts but active agents, actively "tormenting" the speaker to the point of profound envy for those who are free from their grip. The tone is one of deep, almost existential suffering, a stark contrast to any potential for peace. The central conflict lies in the relentless negativity that defines the narrator's existence. Love is described as a killer of the heart, while fortune is a cruel "depriver" of all comfort. This leaves the "foolish mind" to "burneth and plaineth," trapped in a cycle of "displeasure." The lyrics suggest a life where every element that should bring solace instead inflicts pain, creating an inescapable spiral of misery. The most striking aspect is the stark imagery of decay and loss. The narrator's "pleasant days" are not just gone but are actively "fleet[ing] away and pass," while the "ill doth change into the worse." This sense of inevitable decline is powerfully captured in the metaphor of trust being made of "brickle glass," shattering into "dust" upon falling. It’s a visceral depiction of hope’s fragility and the crushing weight of despair. Ultimately, these lyrics resonate because they articulate a profound sense of being overwhelmed and broken. The relentless focus on pain, loss, and the mind's inability to find rest creates a powerful emotional landscape. The specific, almost physical descriptions of love's assault and trust's destruction make the narrator's suffering feel palpable and deeply affecting.