We Learned the Sea

I love this song so much, one of my favorite Dar Williams. It has got such a nice sound to it, it's one of the songs I always go to when I am depressed

This song has always made me think of my mother. Every time I listen to it, regaurdless of the feeling I had before, I am always welcomed by a sorrow of amazing beauty. I can say for sure that Dar Williams did not write this song about my mom, but I feel like it's worth translating for anyone who's willing to listen.

I am the captain and I have been told I am tha owner of this body (this ship) and they have told me.

That tomorrow we land and my ship has been sold Tomorrow I am going to die.

Now losing this boat is worth scarce a mention I am not afriad.

I think of the crew, most of all the first ensign I think mostly of my children.

For all we learned the sea For we learned to live, we learned life.

Guiding a ship, it takes more than your skill Being a mother is more than just a skill.

It's the compass inside it's the strength of your will It's about strength too, it's about love.

The first ensign watched as tempests all tried me My children watched as I died.

I sang in the wind as if God were beside me I was as strong as I could possibly be.

For all we learned the sea For we learned to live, we learned life.

You take the wheel one more time like I showed you You need to learn to live on your own, just like I taught you too all of these years.

We've reached the strait once even I could not go through I can't follow you any more. I can't guide you any more.

I am the captain and I have been told I am the owner of this body, and they told me that I am going to die.

But I am not shaken, I am eight years old I am just as strong as ever, I am an old soul.

And you are still young, but you'll understand You are all so new to this world, but I know you are good and smart.

That the stars of the sea are the same for the land You will grow to know that life is just as beautiful when I am not here. Death does not define you.

And we came to learn the sea We learned to live. We learned life.

From mtv.com/news/1123112/dar-williams-offers-entry-to-the-green-world/

On The Green World, “We Learn the Sea” renews Williams’ interest in the challenges of growing up.

“I was just really struck by the relationship between siblings, especially the way that older siblings take on the role of coloring the world for their younger brothers and sisters,” she said of the song, which appears to be about a sea captain, who turns out to be 8 years old.

“I had a friend, for example, who kept reassuring her little sister that her parents wouldn’t get divorced, when she kept hearing them fighting and was terrified herself that they would. She took on the responsibility of mediating reality, in a way that’s unusual for kids but you do see it.”