Fable
Axum Lyrics

this is my life
The singer acknowledges that his life and experiences form an individual narrative.

this is my fable
He describes his personal story as a fable, likely due to its fantastical or mythical qualities.

clouded and frozen and keeping me in
The singer feels trapped by negative emotions and experiences, which inhibit him from progressing.

all of the stores close shop by 5
The singer notes a mundane detail of daily life to illustrate the monotony and routine of his surroundings.

and people seek comfort by drinking
The general public in the singer's environment turns to numbing their worries with alcohol consumption.

nobody's thinking
The singer believes that the people surrounding him are lacking in introspection and contemplation.

nothing is strange here
Despite the dullness of his environment, the singer notes that the behavior of the community, including himself, is not out of the ordinary.

stable snaps open and shines from within
The singer describes the reveal of an internal impressive trait that lay dormant until brought to the light, possibly as a metaphor for his own uncultivated potential.

but nobody's looking - the gift disappears
Those who could benefit from the display of capability are too unobservant to notice it, reducing the significance of the reveal.

little boy's crying
The singer observes a young and vulnerable individual, possibly a younger version of himself, in a state of distress.

he sees that he too will be beaten someday
The young child sheds light on the reality of life's harshness, and the inevitability of experiencing difficulties that are out of one's control.

maybe the next leg of people are smarter
The singer holds out hope that a later generation will have more intelligence and insight than his current community.

cover me
The singer requests protection or support from someone or something external.

as i reach for the wall
The singer is attempting to overcome an obstacle and move forward, likely metaphorical.

fist goes through
The singer's fist breaks through the obstacle, which despite its perceived solidity is not hard to break through in reality.

not surprising
The ease of breaking through the obstacle is to be expected, and isn't notable or impressive to the singer.

depressing
Despite the success of breaking through the obstacle, the singer still feels downhearted.

pedal but slowly sinking
The singer finds that despite his efforts to move forward, he is still slipping backward or failing to make progress.

speak to me
The singer desires communication and a deeper connection with another individual.

conversation is a gift
The artist values the act of talking and exchanging ideas with others.

that no one is giving
Sadly, no one is willing to give the gift of conversation to the singer.

i'm letting it overwhelm me
The singer is allowing the absence of communication to have a great effect on him.

sick from the cycle of running and sleeping
The cyclical nature of exhaustion and rest is causing distress and discomfort for the singer.

and saving our energy
The singer highlights that, in the face of monotony, it's important to reserve energy and keep pushing forward, a coping mechanism he has employed himself.

outside it's raining
The weather is a metaphor for the depressing nature of the singer's environment.

put down your magazine
The singer is urging the listener to focus on their surroundings and be present in the moment, rather than escape into something so mundane and inconsequential as a magazine.

sit here and speak with me
The singer longs for the opportunity to converse and connect with someone on a deeper level.

voice is more interesting than any book could be
Despite his woes, the singer acknowledges the value of the human voice and interaction as being more worthwhile and stimulating than anything else he's encountered.

all of our teachers and wise men and leaders mean nothing
Despite the positions of authority held by those individuals, the singer finds them unhelpful or lacking in actual value.

but we all fail to see this
Despite the singer's observation, he acknowledges that society or the world at large is unlikely to reach that same, introspective conclusion.

now is the only time anyone here is alive
The singer sums up the importance of the present moment and embracing it fully, as opposed to daydreaming about the future or dwelling in the past.