I kind of took something different from it --
I think she's talking about a man who's had a sad past, lost his innocence, etc (back where your boys were left behind). Now he feels trapped in the life that he has, where he doesn't love his wife but he is so jaded that he doesn't really believe in happiness anymore. He clothes even his happiness in sorrow because he knows it will disappoint ("when she cries"). He just continues on his life, perhaps travelling alot ("by boat, by tram, by autobus") superficially trying to escape his life while not doing anything to change it for fear that he will face more disappointment ("protecting us...from the hawks that have stolen the bird from the sky")
Sorry so long :)
I kind of took something different from it -- I think she's talking about a man who's had a sad past, lost his innocence, etc (back where your boys were left behind). Now he feels trapped in the life that he has, where he doesn't love his wife but he is so jaded that he doesn't really believe in happiness anymore. He clothes even his happiness in sorrow because he knows it will disappoint ("when she cries"). He just continues on his life, perhaps travelling alot ("by boat, by tram, by autobus") superficially trying to escape his life while not doing anything to change it for fear that he will face more disappointment ("protecting us...from the hawks that have stolen the bird from the sky") Sorry so long :)