Song Meaning
The lyrics open in profound darkness, both external and internal. The room's "dark as night" mirrors the speaker's "corners of my mind," immediately establishing a deeply personal, melancholic atmosphere. Here, the speaker's heart is already completely surrendered to "her."
A fragile intimacy quickly shatters. The act of rising to kiss her is immediately undermined as a "flower fell apart," suggesting a delicate moment collapsing under its own weight. This destruction is amplified by "Fire glistened," leaving the speaker feeling "tore me apart." Her direct question, "Where does love go?", is met with a profound, almost desperate answer: "Wherever you are," shifting the entire weight of love onto her presence.
The lyrics then transition to a more ethereal, almost dreamlike observation of "her." She lies "Aglow," seemingly lost in "a wilderness of all things wanting," suggesting a deep, restless internal search. The speaker's intervention, catching her "in midair," culminates in a striking image: "wildflowers to blade in her hair." This juxtaposition of natural beauty and sharp danger powerfully encapsulates the complex, perhaps even painful, allure of the beloved.
These lyrics are effective because they don't shy away from the raw, often contradictory emotions of intense devotion. They move from the crushing weight of internal darkness and shattered intimacy to an almost spiritual, idealized vision of the beloved. The vivid, often unsettling imagery, particularly the blend of fragility and sharpness, creates a sense of profound longing and a recognition of love's elusive, sometimes destructive, yet undeniably captivating nature.