Swift as the Wind

To me this song is about a reclusive child who spends most of his time in his room creating stories and imagining worlds. the childs parents start to worry about their childs behavior so they force him to play with the other children down stairs. He is not happy about it and promises to return to his fantastic realm.

I read this as the child being aware of death, a figure from a land of no night, all-knowing, somewhat frightening, but ultimately simply divine. Death is swift as the wind and the child can see him. He's a powerful, glorious figure, bright and deadly at once.

The adults encourage the child to "go downstairs" to play with others, to not dwell so much on the divine and to return to a more normal "reality".

The last stanza is especially touching to me. I read it as the child saying that he will see his departed loved ones some time in the near future, as that is where he is inevitably headed, but in the meantime he will socialize, be part of the community, and not stray too far from the normal "reality".

Spot on. Next to love and sorrow the ISB, and especially Robin, employ child experiences in their songs, as powerful drivers of who it is that we were, are and hope to be.

i originally thought Swift as the Wind was a flying horse like Pegasus, but having scrutinized the lyrics I don't see how a horse could wield a blade. Is he a warrior? In a flying chariot? Any thoughts?

I see it as somewhere between catskin's and megasam's interpretation.

I think it is more than just the imagination of the child - it's too clearly described and the imagery is not childlike. However I don't really see the indication that the child is seeing death. I believe the child is seeing a reality that adults can't see or believe in. The last three lines describe how the child will see the sword-wielding figure again, but not for some time, not until s/he has spent 'some time downstairs' - a euphemism for becoming an adult who can no longer see such things. Perhaps the child will see him again after passing from this world.

Also seems to be a comment on how time, and one's own childhood specifically is/feels "Swift as the Wind".

I thought this was about a child describing a mystical experience with a being like St. Michael. A parent scolds him for these absurd beliefs that are real to the child. The child wants to be reunited with the being but will have to spend time "downstairs" (ie on earth) first. It reminds me of the story of young Percival first encountering the knights, which inspires him to begin his spiritual journey becoming a knight.