The song is obviously about grief after the loss of his mother. There are many allusions in the song that are worth picking part.
"Signs and wonders, Perseus aligned with the skull
Slain Medusa, Pegasus alight from us all"
Signs and wonders is a common phrase you'll see in the Gospels, and refer to the miraculous healings that Jesus performed yet also the vanity of humans that seek after them.
The classic myth of Perseus and Medusa ends with Perseus decapitating Medusa at the neck. A very gruesome death, yet out of the dead Medusa sprang pegasus which is known to be beautiful and all white. I take this to be a symbol of hope out of suffering, or a rebirth.
"Do I care if I survive this, bury the dead where they’re found"
This reminded me of Luke 9:59-60 where Jesus told a man who wanted to bury his father to "let the dead bury their own dead". To me, burying the dead where they're found is an allusion to death no longer being a sacred or significant occurrence (leading to an indifference towards self-preservation).
"In a veil of great surprises"
As mentioned in another comment the line between life and death is often characterised as a veil. It is a very thin barrier, yet you can't see beyond it. I also think 'great surprises' refers to how sudden and surprising someone crossing the veil can be given the mundane routine much of our lives is focused on.
" Signs and wonders, water stain writing the wall
Daniel’s message, blood of the moon on us all"
The writing on the wall is a common phrase denoting doom, and it comes from the book of Daniel chapter 5. Belshazzar was feasting in a temple when a hand wrote a message on the wall. Daniel interpreted it to the King: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. Mene, loosely translated, means that God has numbered your days. Tekel is that you have been judged and found wanting. It's part of the human condition that everyone's days are numbered, and many of us are struggling to not waste them.
I believe the blood moon is an allusion to the crucifixion of Jesus, as that is one of the natural events that was meant to occur at that time. Both the blood moon and writing on the walls are again examples of signs and wonders, but this time very dark signs.
" Should I tear my eyes out now?
Everything I see returns to you somehow
Should I tear my heart out now?
Everything I feel returns to you somehow"
Beautiful lines, and it reminds me strongly of Mark 9:43-47 where Jesus tells his followers that if a part of your body causes you sin / do evil / act unethically (your eye, your hand, your foot) it is better to cut it off than commit sin. I think the general idea here is that when in extreme pain the mind thinks of extreme solutions, which ties back to thoughts about suicide elsewhere in the song.
" Signs and wonders, sea lion caves in the dark"
There's a sea lion cave in Oregon, he probably visited there and it left an impression on him. Natural wonders like a sea lion cave will enrich a person who learns to appreciate it, and I can certainly see them helping someone out of grief.
The song is obviously about grief after the loss of his mother. There are many allusions in the song that are worth picking part.
"Signs and wonders, Perseus aligned with the skull Slain Medusa, Pegasus alight from us all"
Signs and wonders is a common phrase you'll see in the Gospels, and refer to the miraculous healings that Jesus performed yet also the vanity of humans that seek after them.
The classic myth of Perseus and Medusa ends with Perseus decapitating Medusa at the neck. A very gruesome death, yet out of the dead Medusa sprang pegasus which is known to be beautiful and all white. I take this to be a symbol of hope out of suffering, or a rebirth.
"Do I care if I survive this, bury the dead where they’re found"
This reminded me of Luke 9:59-60 where Jesus told a man who wanted to bury his father to "let the dead bury their own dead". To me, burying the dead where they're found is an allusion to death no longer being a sacred or significant occurrence (leading to an indifference towards self-preservation).
"In a veil of great surprises"
As mentioned in another comment the line between life and death is often characterised as a veil. It is a very thin barrier, yet you can't see beyond it. I also think 'great surprises' refers to how sudden and surprising someone crossing the veil can be given the mundane routine much of our lives is focused on.
" Signs and wonders, water stain writing the wall Daniel’s message, blood of the moon on us all"
The writing on the wall is a common phrase denoting doom, and it comes from the book of Daniel chapter 5. Belshazzar was feasting in a temple when a hand wrote a message on the wall. Daniel interpreted it to the King: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. Mene, loosely translated, means that God has numbered your days. Tekel is that you have been judged and found wanting. It's part of the human condition that everyone's days are numbered, and many of us are struggling to not waste them.
I believe the blood moon is an allusion to the crucifixion of Jesus, as that is one of the natural events that was meant to occur at that time. Both the blood moon and writing on the walls are again examples of signs and wonders, but this time very dark signs.
" Should I tear my eyes out now? Everything I see returns to you somehow Should I tear my heart out now? Everything I feel returns to you somehow"
Beautiful lines, and it reminds me strongly of Mark 9:43-47 where Jesus tells his followers that if a part of your body causes you sin / do evil / act unethically (your eye, your hand, your foot) it is better to cut it off than commit sin. I think the general idea here is that when in extreme pain the mind thinks of extreme solutions, which ties back to thoughts about suicide elsewhere in the song.
" Signs and wonders, sea lion caves in the dark"
There's a sea lion cave in Oregon, he probably visited there and it left an impression on him. Natural wonders like a sea lion cave will enrich a person who learns to appreciate it, and I can certainly see them helping someone out of grief.