I think DarkerShadeofWinter's got it right; I don't think this song questions God but rather the speaker's Earthly father. In fact, it's God's grace and natural goodness that keeps the speaker from feeling any ill will towards his father - he still loves him despite the fact that the father has obviously had premarital sex (and alludes to maybe him having affairs). Definitely about sex as the term "bury sons" is more of an agricultural reference as opposed to a funeral reference. It's making an analogy to planting seeds in various women and the laack of care the father has for the children he fathers through his various sexual encounters (did you even for a second hesitate in the doorway?). The tracks-up-the-arms image introduces a drug element to the scenario indicating the father was also under the influence of drugs and it is either the addiction, the affairs, or both that led the father to leave his wife, the speaker, and the speaker's brothers in '89. Good image with the Mother's heart breaking like the water inside her when she's giving birth. And despite the seemingly worthless character of the father, the song has an amazing message of forgiveness and love despite every offense imaginable with the last line:
But I believe there is something here to be learned of grace,
'cause I can't help but love you, even with a heart that breaks like the promises you made
I think DarkerShadeofWinter's got it right; I don't think this song questions God but rather the speaker's Earthly father. In fact, it's God's grace and natural goodness that keeps the speaker from feeling any ill will towards his father - he still loves him despite the fact that the father has obviously had premarital sex (and alludes to maybe him having affairs). Definitely about sex as the term "bury sons" is more of an agricultural reference as opposed to a funeral reference. It's making an analogy to planting seeds in various women and the laack of care the father has for the children he fathers through his various sexual encounters (did you even for a second hesitate in the doorway?). The tracks-up-the-arms image introduces a drug element to the scenario indicating the father was also under the influence of drugs and it is either the addiction, the affairs, or both that led the father to leave his wife, the speaker, and the speaker's brothers in '89. Good image with the Mother's heart breaking like the water inside her when she's giving birth. And despite the seemingly worthless character of the father, the song has an amazing message of forgiveness and love despite every offense imaginable with the last line:
But I believe there is something here to be learned of grace, 'cause I can't help but love you, even with a heart that breaks like the promises you made