Can’t You See

Song Meaning

The narrator is caught in a painful cycle of unrequited or unacknowledged love, desperately trying to convey their enduring affection despite being mistreated. The opening lines immediately establish a plea for recognition: "Can't you see / That I still love you / By the way I act when your near." This isn't a subtle affection; it's a performance, a visible reaction that the narrator believes should be obvious to the object of their desire. The contrast between this persistent love and the hurt inflicted is stark, highlighting a self-awareness that the other person "don't deserve me," yet the feeling remains. The core tension lies in this paradox: knowing someone is unworthy yet being unable to let go. The lyrics paint a picture of profound emotional distress, with the narrator confessing "My heart is longing / For a kiss from you, so sweet" and admitting to being "so lost, and so lonely." This isn't just a crush; it's a deep-seated ache that permeates their existence, even manifesting in dreams where the person "haunt[s] my sleep." The most striking imagery arrives with the metaphor of a "ship that's tossed and driven / Under a thundering cloud above." This powerfully visualizes the narrator's internal turmoil and vulnerability, adrift in a storm of emotion. Yet, within this chaos, there's a flicker of hope, a determination to "drop my anchor / In the harbours of your love." The repeated "sailing, sailing" suggests a desire for a shared, stable journey, contrasting with the current turbulent state. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their raw vulnerability and the narrator's insistent, almost desperate, repetition of "Can't you see." This refrain underscores the central frustration: the inability of the other person to perceive the depth of feeling. The lyrics capture that painful space where love persists against all rational judgment, leaving the narrator exposed and yearning for acknowledgment.