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The Fountain Lyrics
He sits low, in a shady grove
Where the trees arc slow, in the shape of 'you know'
Marble stairwells, waterfalls, egret heads and open arms
Whistling through his pensive teeth, the scene is set to peak
Like how the desert meets the reef
And steals the heart of the thief
She walks slow, past the reach of home
In a Western World, far from the things she knows
Hanging gardens, patterned walls, the books of Rilke, orchestras
Motioning to the slow refrain, the soul is set to gain
Or swallow it whole
The causal chain of human loam
And as seasons go, it's a lot like this
He reasons for a look, then a glance
To the path, where she passed
From the page of a book, to a perch in the grass
And as meetings go, it's a lot like this
She tiptoes from the path, to the edge of the page
Where she dared to be asked
What's in a name?
What is your name?
And if you let me know
I won't be alone, I won't be alone
And if you have the time to talk to
I won't doubt you
And if I let you know
I won't be alone, I won't be alone
And if you start to fall
I'll be here to catch you
Turning around, he sighs, "will you sit next to me?"
Motioning forward, she replies, "will you walk next to me?"
"I know my lines, and there's a lot less space and a little bit of time"
"I know the play it's fine"
Echoing herself, she says, "will you walk close to me?"
Holding his smile, he replies, "what more would you ask of me?"
"I know my mind, and there's a lot less space and a little bit of time"
"I know the way, it's fine"
And if you let me know
I won't be alone, I won't be alone
And if you have the time to talk to
I won't doubt you
And if I let you know
I won't be alone, I won't be alone
And if you start to fall
I'll be here to catch you
He's wasting time, you gotta take it slow
May never get a chance like this
And she knows he's wasting time
And she loves the way he tries
Even though she knows the lines
She's taking time, you gotta let things grow
May never have a chance like this
And he knows she takes her time
And he keeps along her side
All hopes to keep along her side
And as seasons go, it's a lot like this
He reasons for a look, then a glance
To the path, where she passed
From the page of a book, to a perch in the grass
And as meetings go, it's a lot like this
She tiptoes from the path, to the edge of the page
Where she dared to be asked
What's in a name?
What is your name?
Where the trees arc slow, in the shape of 'you know'
Marble stairwells, waterfalls, egret heads and open arms
Whistling through his pensive teeth, the scene is set to peak
Like how the desert meets the reef
And steals the heart of the thief
In a Western World, far from the things she knows
Hanging gardens, patterned walls, the books of Rilke, orchestras
Motioning to the slow refrain, the soul is set to gain
Or swallow it whole
The causal chain of human loam
He reasons for a look, then a glance
To the path, where she passed
From the page of a book, to a perch in the grass
And as meetings go, it's a lot like this
She tiptoes from the path, to the edge of the page
Where she dared to be asked
What's in a name?
What is your name?
I won't be alone, I won't be alone
And if you have the time to talk to
I won't doubt you
And if I let you know
I won't be alone, I won't be alone
And if you start to fall
I'll be here to catch you
Motioning forward, she replies, "will you walk next to me?"
"I know my lines, and there's a lot less space and a little bit of time"
"I know the play it's fine"
Echoing herself, she says, "will you walk close to me?"
Holding his smile, he replies, "what more would you ask of me?"
"I know my mind, and there's a lot less space and a little bit of time"
"I know the way, it's fine"
I won't be alone, I won't be alone
And if you have the time to talk to
I won't doubt you
And if I let you know
I won't be alone, I won't be alone
And if you start to fall
I'll be here to catch you
May never get a chance like this
And she knows he's wasting time
And she loves the way he tries
Even though she knows the lines
She's taking time, you gotta let things grow
May never have a chance like this
And he knows she takes her time
And he keeps along her side
All hopes to keep along her side
He reasons for a look, then a glance
To the path, where she passed
From the page of a book, to a perch in the grass
And as meetings go, it's a lot like this
She tiptoes from the path, to the edge of the page
Where she dared to be asked
What's in a name?
What is your name?
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Love it! Would love to know what Future Islands says the meaning is but I think it's just about trying to get up the nerve to meet someone and all the fantasies you have about that person while you're getting up your nerve ❤️
Roman Fountain by Rainer Maria Rilke
translated by Len Krisak (July 2014)
Borghese
Two basins, one above the other, from
within an ancient rounded marble rand.
And from the top one, waters softly come,
spilling to waters under them that stand
and wait and meet their whispers, playing dumb.
Hidden, as in the hollow of a hand,
they show them sky behind the green and gloom,
like some strange object from a foreign land.
Calmly, within their lovely basin-shell,
they widen—never homesick—ring by ring,
and only sometimes, ping by dream-soft ping,
drop down the mossy scrim in single file
to reach that final mirror softening
the basin with its stone-transforming smile.
(The Fountain was located in the Borghese Gardens in Rome - ed.)
I just think it's such a beautiful song. A love letter to someone