Empty Corner Of The Page
Birch Book Lyrics

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On the empty corner of the page

While looking up out through the leaves
I see faces in the leaves
Moving jaws and blinking eyes
There changing with the sky
I trace the figures with some ink
Long enough to make them think
They're as reals as the day
And the stray strands in the weave
On the empty corner of the page

We walk again along the water
As thelight is getting softer
And as we stair out to the sea
Beyond the shore's laughter
I see you and you see me
Falling over phantoms of our history
Written in the space

Near the stray strand in the weave
On the empty corner of the page

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Birch Book's "Empty Corner of the Page" set the scene for a walk, likely in a rural or wooded area. The path is wet, indicating recent rainfall, and the singer nostalgically mentions having walked it before. As they observe the flashes of light reflecting off the water, the rain clears and the sky becomes visible again. In this tranquil moment, the singer pulls out a book of poetry to read.

While reading, the singer takes note of their surroundings, including the skyline and the spray of water. They also notice some "stray strands" in the weave of the page they're holding. The singer seems to take this as a metaphor for the small, often-overlooked details in life. These details are easy to miss, but they can offer beauty and meaning if we take the time to notice them.

In the second verse, the singer gazes up through the leaves of the trees and sees faces in them. The faces appear to change with the sky, perhaps reflecting the singer's own mood or perspective. The singer decides to trace the figures with ink, giving them a permanence they might not have had otherwise. This act of creation seems to bring the figures to life, making them "real as the day" in the singer's mind.

The final verse of the song finds the singer walking again by the water, this time with another person. As they look out at the sea, they acknowledge "phantoms of our history" that seem to be written in the space around them. The "stray strand in the weave" of the page from earlier in the song is echoed here, perhaps implying that life is made up of interconnected moments and details that can be woven together to tell a larger story.

Overall, "Empty Corner of the Page" is a contemplative, introspective song that captures the beauty of small moments and the power of imagination and creation.

Line by Line Meaning

The paths are wet along the lane
The ground is damp with rain along the small road

I'll walk along them once again
I'll stroll down the lane again

Flashes trickle from the water
Bright reflections flow from the water

As the sund clears the sky of rain
As the sun clears away the rainfall

While reading verses from a book
While reading lines from a book

I take a moment to set and look
I pause to gaze and contemplate

At the skyline and the spray
At the horizon and the water mist

And the stray strands in the weave
And the loose threads in the fabric

On the empty corner of the page
On the blank corner of the paper

While looking up out through the leaves
While gazing upwards beyond the foliage

I see faces in the leaves
I perceive faces in the leaves

Moving jaws and blinking eyes
Their mouths and eyes appear to move

There changing with the sky
They transform with the changing sky

I trace the figures with some ink
I draw the figures with ink

Long enough to make them think
Long enough to make them seem real

They're as reals as the day
They're as real as the daytime

And the stray strands in the weave
And the loose threads in the fabric

On the empty corner of the page
On the blank corner of the paper

We walk again along the water
We walk once more beside the water

As thelight is getting softer
As the light becomes dimmer

And as we stair out to the sea
And as we gaze out to the ocean

Beyond the shore's laughter
Beyond the sound of waves breaking on the shore

I see you and you see me
I see you and you see me

Falling over phantoms of our history
Falling over memories of our past

Written in the space
Written within the emptiness

Near the stray strand in the weave
Next to the loose thread in the fabric

On the empty corner of the page
On the blank corner of the paper

Contributed by Olivia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@zoeblue95

9y↑20

The paths are wet along the lane
I'll walk along them once again
Flashes trickle from the water
As the sund clears the sky of rain
While reading verses from a book
I take a moment to set and look
At the skyline and the spray
And the stray strands in the weave
On the empty corner of the page

While looking up out through the leaves
I see faces in the leaves
Moving jaws and blinking eyes
There changing with the sky
I trace the figures with some ink
Long enough to make them think
They're as reals as the day
And the stray strands in the weave
On the empty corner of the page

We walk again along the water
As the light is getting softer
And as we stair out to the sea
Beyond the shore's laughter
I see you and you see me
Falling over phantoms of our history
Written in the space
Near the stray strand in the weave
On the empty corner of the page