I don't know if this meaning is right, but it's the way I see it. I think it's about a relationship, but he is getting pretty low and dragging her down with him when she tries to help. He thinks leaving her is the only way to save her, even though it would hurt him so much to do so.
"If i ever leave, I could learn to miss you,
But sentimental poise, my nom de plume"
Makes me think that he is saying he could learn to live without her, but "my nom de plume" is french for "my pen name" so he is just writing that, he doesn't really mean it.
"I may never sleep tonight,
As long as you're still burning bright"
Makes me think that he would suffer if it meant she could go on with her life without him there to drag her down.
"If I could trade mistakes for sheep,
Count me awake before you sleep"
This make me think that he thinks he was a mistake because he says trading mistakes for sheep and you count sheep before you sleep. And he says to count him, meaning he has so many problems they're liike counting sheep.
The way he changes between "Let me save you" and "Don't let me save you" makes me think that he keeps changing his mind about what to do. Also the line "I am an anchor sinking her" helps the idea that he is dragging her down with him.
Like I said, this meaning is probably completely wrong, it's just what I thought when I first saw the lyrics. Love the song, really beautiful.
I don't know if this meaning is right, but it's the way I see it. I think it's about a relationship, but he is getting pretty low and dragging her down with him when she tries to help. He thinks leaving her is the only way to save her, even though it would hurt him so much to do so.
"If i ever leave, I could learn to miss you, But sentimental poise, my nom de plume"
Makes me think that he is saying he could learn to live without her, but "my nom de plume" is french for "my pen name" so he is just writing that, he doesn't really mean it.
"I may never sleep tonight, As long as you're still burning bright"
Makes me think that he would suffer if it meant she could go on with her life without him there to drag her down.
"If I could trade mistakes for sheep, Count me awake before you sleep"
This make me think that he thinks he was a mistake because he says trading mistakes for sheep and you count sheep before you sleep. And he says to count him, meaning he has so many problems they're liike counting sheep.
The way he changes between "Let me save you" and "Don't let me save you" makes me think that he keeps changing his mind about what to do. Also the line "I am an anchor sinking her" helps the idea that he is dragging her down with him.
Like I said, this meaning is probably completely wrong, it's just what I thought when I first saw the lyrics. Love the song, really beautiful.