I think this song is from the perspective of someone (let's say he) who just got out of a relationship, but it wasn't their choice.
In the chorus he's away from her because it's what she wanted, not him.
In the first stanza, heaven/“kingdom come” is a metaphor for the actual relationship, in that it seemed perfect to him, but clearly the relationship wasn't working because “the saints (who represent virtue) are gone” and have deserted heaven, sort of an unthinkable idea.
I think the swords allude to fighting they both had during the relationship, because he says “we pick up our swords.” I think it might also be alluding to him fighting for the relationship itself, with the saints running back with him (trying to make the relationship virtuous and whole again) or both he and she breaking up and getting back together many times, because “we run back to all the shit we just came from.”
In the last stanza I imagine him sitting in his backyard, unable to do anything to change the situation because it was not his decision. He's in the background and she's in control. And yet he still falls in love with her again and again, even though the relationship hasn't worked each time they tried. The line about “sitting at the backbone:” a backbone is supposed to be one's support and nerve to be brave and make tough decisions; I think that he has realized his relationship will never work when he says he is “wide awake;” however he is still in love, and doesn't have the courage to accept that reality and move on.
I think this song is from the perspective of someone (let's say he) who just got out of a relationship, but it wasn't their choice.
In the chorus he's away from her because it's what she wanted, not him.
In the first stanza, heaven/“kingdom come” is a metaphor for the actual relationship, in that it seemed perfect to him, but clearly the relationship wasn't working because “the saints (who represent virtue) are gone” and have deserted heaven, sort of an unthinkable idea.
I think the swords allude to fighting they both had during the relationship, because he says “we pick up our swords.” I think it might also be alluding to him fighting for the relationship itself, with the saints running back with him (trying to make the relationship virtuous and whole again) or both he and she breaking up and getting back together many times, because “we run back to all the shit we just came from.”
In the last stanza I imagine him sitting in his backyard, unable to do anything to change the situation because it was not his decision. He's in the background and she's in control. And yet he still falls in love with her again and again, even though the relationship hasn't worked each time they tried. The line about “sitting at the backbone:” a backbone is supposed to be one's support and nerve to be brave and make tough decisions; I think that he has realized his relationship will never work when he says he is “wide awake;” however he is still in love, and doesn't have the courage to accept that reality and move on.