It could be sung from the perspective of someone who hasn't cherished the gift of their child. The child grows up without knowing the love and attention from their mother/father as if in an unremembered dream, to wake up and realize they're alone. They are offered caring and attention from "strangers" or ones not knowing Mary as their child and may not be what she needs to be happy. And the parent would be the last to know and the last to accept the horror of missing their childs childhood ( now that they realize it as a horror ) and let it show.
Seems reasonable since the rest of the album has a lot to do with family relationships and appreciating what seems to be granted.
It could be sung from the perspective of someone who hasn't cherished the gift of their child. The child grows up without knowing the love and attention from their mother/father as if in an unremembered dream, to wake up and realize they're alone. They are offered caring and attention from "strangers" or ones not knowing Mary as their child and may not be what she needs to be happy. And the parent would be the last to know and the last to accept the horror of missing their childs childhood ( now that they realize it as a horror ) and let it show.
Seems reasonable since the rest of the album has a lot to do with family relationships and appreciating what seems to be granted.