Lyric discussion by mister care-too-much 

There's been a death in the family.

"Come morning, the house was full of strangers" The wake/funeral.

"One bumped off the ladder Another moves a rung" One member of the family has died, another is closer to death.

"I can feel the summer in this current" The speaker can feel the passage of time; the same "current" that takes away his loved ones is also the one that brings summer and joyful times to him/her.

"Behind your shoulders, he looms What can you say? When winter is lodged in your throat" The speaker can't talk about things until more time has passed.

That being said, this is an absolutely gorgeous song.

Song Meaning