Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a picture of an immortal, primal force, a 'chanter of Adamic songs,' that cycles through existence. This entity is described with potent, generative imagery, emphasizing its undestroyed and wandering nature. It moves through new landscapes, 'the West, the great cities,' suggesting a continuous, perhaps even relentless, presence that is both ancient and ever-present in the modern world.
The core tension seems to lie in this eternal, fertile power confronting and immersing itself in the 'new garden.' The narrator, identifying as this chanter, offers 'these, offering myself,' and explicitly states, 'Bathing myself, bathing my songs in Sex.' This act of immersion suggests a deep connection between creation, procreation, and artistic output, where the very essence of life and sexuality is the medium for expression.
The most striking craft element is the juxtaposition of the archaic 'Adamic songs' with the contemporary 'great cities' and the raw, almost overwhelming physicality of 'lusty, phallic, with the potent original loins.' This contrast highlights how this ancient, generative force is not confined to a mythical past but actively participates in and influences the present, making its presence felt through the act of creation and self-offering.
This writing is effective because it grounds an abstract concept of eternal return and creative power in visceral, physical terms. The direct declaration of 'bathing my songs in Sex' and claiming 'Offspring of my loins' makes the abstract tangible, creating a powerful, almost overwhelming sense of primal energy that is both deeply personal to the narrator and suggestive of a universal creative impulse.