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In Response to Irresponsibility
Algernon Cadwallader Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With more leaves
Never teach
The younger trees
We all learn
the same thing
How quickly
Into the earth
And start over
The song "In Response to Irresponsibility" by Algernon Cadwallader is a reflection on how the world is cyclical and how all living beings have an end in death. The first stanza talks about the lack of mentorship and guidance from older trees to the younger ones, and yet despite this, all living beings learn the same lesson - that everything has a cycle and eventually we all return to the earth. The imagery of trees is possibly used as a metaphor for humans in society, where there may be a lack of guidance and leadership from older generations to the younger ones, yet everyone ends up learning the same way.
In the second stanza, the song speaks on the idea that everything eventually returns to the ground and begins anew. It speaks on how quickly things start over and it highlights the cyclical nature of the world. The idea of starting over can be interpreted as both positive and negative. On one hand, starting over means that life continues on, but on the other hand, it also represents repetition and the possibility of not moving forward. This song encourages the listener to reflect on the cyclical nature of life, and how we should appreciate and cherish each moment.
Line by Line Meaning
When trees
Just like a tree,
With more leaves
with more experience,
Never teach
doesn't guide,
The younger trees
the inexperienced ones,
We all learn
we all come to realize,
the same thing
the inevitability of life,
How quickly
it's so effortless that,
We rot back
we decompose,
Into the earth
returning to the ground,
And start over
to begin anew,
Contributed by Riley E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.