interpretation needed

Question

An excerpt from the lyrics of a song:to discover the lonliness and be to proud to show the woundswill forever wander alone through the years  ·····  read , what is written on the silent mouth   what is written in the soulfor which is written in the shining silence  we all have to read(1)Why 'be to proud', not 'to be proud'?  (2)What is the subject of 'will forever wander'? 'I'?  (3)How do you explain 'for which is written' grammatically? How should I interpret it?

X11 · Accepted Answer

Hello Taka.

First of all. be to proud in this context probably means that the person is too proud to show his or her wounds. I am aware that it only says be to proud, not be too proud. But to me, it seeems as if it is a typo just as the word lonliness. I believe that there exist a thing called writer's liberty or something like that which allows writers, lyrists and singers to write words that do not exist, and many other things that make their piece of work sound better or cohere with the rest og what they have written.

The last part depends on the context. Don't you have the whole song/poem?

Jay

Taka · Answer

You can check the original lyrics here:

http://www.searchlyrics.org/in_flames/embody_the_invisible.html

Strange that in the lyric sheet I have it's 'lonliness' although at searchlyrics.org it's 'loneliness'...

Davkett · Answer

I find the following grammatical slips in the lyrics:

EMBODY THE VISIBLE

I demand nothing, but I want it all
what privilege do we have under the sun,
that gives us the right to the throne?

species come and go, but the earth stands forever fast
all river runs towards the sea, but the sea is never full (rivers run?)

to discover the loneliness and be to proud to show the wounds (be too proud?)
will forever wander alone through the years (we'll forever wander?)

but I won't let you near
begging for you to understand
the fear that lives in my soul
which is an untouched spring

read, what is written on the silent mouth
what is written in the soul
for which is written in the shining silence (for which it is written?)
we all have to read

my body will be bent from the burdens
when the shaking floor of life-force
reveal its chasm underneath (reveals?)
if only one could be two steps ahead

Taka · Answer

Davkett
for which is written in the shining silence (for which it is written?)
we all have to read

Then, what do you think 'it' refers to?

Davkett · Answer

TakaThen, what do you think 'it' refers to?

My guess--

"read...
what is written in the soul
for which it ['that which is written'] is written in the shining silence
we all have to read"

What is written in the soul, is written for the soul in the shining silence we all have to read.

Taka · Answer

Good! Now it's finally turned to a really good lyric poem

Thank you, davkett.

Taka · Answer

Oh, by the way, it's 'embody the invisible' not 'the visible'.

Taka · Answer

DavkettWhat is written in the soul, is written for the soul in the shining silence we all have to read.

Sorry, davkett. It's an old question, but I've found it a bit unclear, so let me ask.

About 'we all have to read', what do you think it refers to?

Davkett · Answer

Perhaps the soul's language (the voice of ***) is silent, even non-verbal, but nevertheless it must be 'read' because it expresses the truth that shines a light on the path of the virtuous life.

Taka · Answer

So, grammatically speaking, the antecedent is 'What is written in the soul'? Structually, in my opinion, that's a bit awkward...

Don't you think 'we all have to read' part itself is another sentence, such as:

What is written in the soul, is written for the soul in the shining silence.
We all have to read.

?

interpretation needed

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions