With a hammer and nails and a fear of failure we are building a shed
Between here and heaven, between the wait and the wedding
For as long as we both shall be dead to the world
Beyond the boys and the girls trying to keep us calm
We can practice our lines ’til we’re deaf and blind
To ourselves, to each other, where it’s
Fall, not winter; spring, not summer; cool, not cold
And it’s warm, not hot; have we all forgotten that we’re getting old?

With an arrow and bow and some seeds left to sow, we are staking our claim
On ground so fertile, we forget who we’ve hurt along the way
And reach out for a strange hand to hold
Someone strong, but not bold enough to tear down the wall
’Cause we ain’t lost enough to find the stars ain’t crossed—why align them?
Why fall hard, not soft into
Fall, not winter; spring, not summer; cool, not cold
Where it’s warm, not hot; have we all forgotten that we’re getting old?

And it’s fall, not winter; spring, not summer; cool, not cold
And it’s warm, not hot; has everyone forgotten that we’re getting old?
And it’s fall, not winter; spring, not summer; cool, not cold
And it’s warm, not hot; have we all forgotten that we’re getting old?


Lyrics submitted by boejucci, edited by goodnews, haruki

Here and Heaven song meanings
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  • +3
    General Comment

    Sometimes people choose relationships to avoid rather than experience intimacy. Sometimes our "fear of failure" prevents us from believing we can have the connection and edification we really want and deserve with another person. We choose partners we don't really admire or feel safe with or who allow us to maintain our habitual emotional distance.

    building a shed--building a relationship

    Between here and heaven, between the wait and the wedding--between the past relationships we've had and the ones we really want and deserve, a stopping or waiting place along the way

    Or as long as we both shall be dead to the world--as long as we continue to make ourselves unavailable to opportunities for real intimacy that the world is constantly presenting to us

    We can practice our lines--in this relationship, we can continue repeating the habits and messages that make us feel safe and keep us guarded against the risk of vulnerability and intimacy

    Fall, not winter, spring, not summer, cool, not cold And it’s warm, not hot--these relationships are exciting, fun, romantic, but they don't penetrate to the deepest parts of ourselves

    With an arrow and bow--tools for hunting, for finding more partners

    and some seeds left to sow--the proverbial desire for excitement, newness, and a kind of lonely freedom and power

    we are staking our claim On ground so fertile, we forget who we’ve hurt along the way--there are so many people in the city or world who can fill these roles for us that they become interchangeable and forgettable

    And reach out for a strange hand to hold--we distract ourselves from acknowledging our patterns by finding someone new to occupy our attention

    Someone strong, but not bold enough to tear down the wall--these partners have attractive qualities, so it's easy to justify to ourselves and our friends why we keep choosing them, though none of them ever really get close to us

    ‘Cause we aren’t lost enough to find--we haven't felt our loneliness acutely or clearly enough to recognize it and change this pattern that perpetuates it

    the stars aren’t crossed why align 'em--nothing seems dramatically wrong, so we can justify why we aren't trying something new or trying to change

    And why fall hard not soft--so why risk intimacy? why not let it be cute or literary, like a movie?

    jonathanmrussomon March 03, 2012   Link

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