Autumn
BRUNI Carla Lyrics
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Cold rain where sweet grass was
And clouds like sheep
Stream o'er the steep
Grey skies where the lark was.
Nought gold where you hair was
Nought warm where your hand was
Beneath the thorn,
Your ghost where your face was.
Sad winds where your voice was
Tears, tears where my heart was
And ever with me
Child, ever with me,
Silence where hope was.
In her song "Autumn," Carla Bruni describes the effects of autumn and its changes on the natural world around her, while also drawing comparisons to the changes in her personal life. The first stanza utilizes vivid imagery to describe the physical changes brought on by autumn, such as the wind blowing where the roses once stood and rain where sweet grass once grew. The clouds above are also likened to sheep, painted in shades of grey and stream over steep terrain, where once the lark flew in a guarded wildlife haven.
The second stanza continues this pattern, but instead, the changes described are of a more personal nature. The loss of her lover is referenced through metaphor. There is "nought gold" where their hair once was, and "nought warm" where their hand once used to be. It is as if they have left behind a ghostly remnant of themselves, represented by a phantom figure, forlorn and obscured beneath a thorn.
In the final stanza, Bruni talks about the emotional aftermath of the ending of her relationship. The winds that once carried her lover's voice are now silent, and tears have replaced the warm feeling she once had in her heart. And despite all of this, she can still feel the presence of her lost love, represented by a child, a symbol of innocence and hope, but still surrounded by silence.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a wind where the rose was
The place where something beautiful once existed has been replaced with something cold and harsh.
Cold rain where sweet grass was
Something that was once pleasant and comforting has been replaced with something that is uncomfortable and distressing.
And clouds like sheep
Clouds moving across the sky in a manner that is quiet and peaceful.
Stream o'er the steep
Water flowing over a slope or hill, possibly with great force.
Grey skies where the lark was.
Instead of clear blue skies where birds sing and soar, there are only somber grey skies.
Nought gold where your hair was
The place where something valuable and beautiful once was is now empty and worthless.
Nought warm where your hand was
The place where something that brought comfort and love once was is now empty and cold.
But phantom, forlorn,
The remnant of what used to exist is sad and abandoned.
Beneath the thorn,
Lurking in a place that is painful and cruel.
Your ghost where your face was.
The image of what once was there, but is now gone, is haunting and persistent.
Sad winds where your voice was
Instead of hearing the sweet sound of someone's voice, there is only the sound of the wind, which is associated with sadness and loss.
Tears, tears where my heart was
Feeling overwhelming sadness, to the point of tears, where there was once happiness and hope.
And ever with me
The feeling of sadness and loss remains in the heart.
Child, ever with me,
The feeling of sadness and loss is constant, like a child who is always present.
Silence where hope was.
The absence of sound where there was once optimism and possibility.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAN HARTMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind