Margaret arrayed the rocks around the hull before it was sinking,
A million stones, a million bones, a million holes within the chinking.

And painting rings around your eyes these peppered holes so filled with crying.
A whisper weighed upon the tattered down where you and I were lying.

Tell me now, tell me this, a forest's son, a river's daughter,
A willow on the willow wisp, our ghosts will wander all of the water.

So let's be married here today these rushing waves to bare our witness,
And we will lye like river stones rolling only where it takes us.

[Chorus]
But I pulled you and I called you here,
And I caught you and I brought you here
These hazards of love, never more will trouble us.

Oh Margaret the lapping waves are licking quietly at our ankles
Another bow another breath this brilliant chill's come for the shackle.

With this long last rush of air we speak our vows and sorry whispers,
When the waves came crashing down, he closed his eyes and softly kissed her.

But I pulled you and I called you here,
And I caught you and I brought you here
These hazards of love, never more will trouble us.
And these hazards of love, never more will trouble us.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Decemberists' "The Hazards of Love 4" tell a story of two lovers, Margaret and her forest-born lover. Margaret is seen as a protector, arranging rocks around the hull of a sinking ship to prevent it from completely submerging. The lyrics describe tears filling the holes in their peppered eyes, suggesting pain and sadness. The couple is likened to a willow wisp and a willow tree, with their ghosts wandering in the water. They decide to marry here today, with the waves bearing witness.

The chorus expresses the singer's ownership and protection of his beloved, suggesting that the hazards of love no longer trouble them. However, the closing verse sees the water slowly encroaching on them, with the couple speaking their vows and whispers before they are overcome by the waves.

Line by Line Meaning

Margaret arrayed the rocks around the hull before it was sinking,
Margaret placed rocks around the boat before it sank.

A million stones, a million bones, a million holes within the chinking.
The rocks represented the many obstacles and problems they had faced in their relationship.

And painting rings around your eyes these peppered holes so filled with crying.
The singer noticed the tears and sadness in Margaret's eyes due to their troubled relationship.

A whisper weighed upon the tattered down where you and I were lying.
There was an unspoken tension between the artist and Margaret as they lay together.

Tell me now, tell me this, a forest's son, a river's daughter,
The artist is asking about their identities and questioning their future together.

A willow on the willow wisp, our ghosts will wander all of the water.
They will always be connected, even after death, like ghosts that float on water.

So let's be married here today these rushing waves to bare our witness,
They want to get married by the water as a symbol of the obstacles they have overcome in their relationship.

And we will lye like river stones rolling only where it takes us.
They will flow together in life like river stones, going wherever life takes them.

But I pulled you and I called you here,
The artist took the initiative to bring them together.

And I caught you and I brought you here
The artist is taking responsibility for bringing them together despite the obstacles they faced.

These hazards of love, never more will trouble us.
Their love has survived the obstacles they faced and will no longer trouble them.

Oh Margaret the lapping waves are licking quietly at our ankles
The artist acknowledges the peaceful presence of the water around them.

Another bow another breath this brilliant chill's come for the shackle.
The singer is experiencing a sense of release and freedom from their troubles.

With this long last rush of air we speak our vows and sorry whispers,
They are finally addressing and apologizing for the problems in their relationship as they make their vows.

When the waves came crashing down, he closed his eyes and softly kissed her.
Even in the face of potential danger, the singer is choosing Margaret and their love.

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