White Bird
David LaFlamme Lyrics

White bird
The singer, a white bird, is introduced.

In a golden cage
Describes the bird's current situation of being trapped and restricted.

On a winter's day
Sets the scene of a cold, bleak, and dismal time period.

In the rain
Further emphasizes the dreary mood and unsavory conditions.

White bird
Repeats the introduction of the bird to emphasize its importance.

In a golden cage
Reiterates the bird's confinement and lack of freedom.

Alone
Highlights the bird's isolation and loneliness.

The leaves blow
Describes a natural occurrence of leaves being blown across the road.

Across the long, black road
Gives context to the location of the bird, isolated and trapped on one side of the road.

To the darkened skies
Sets the tone for the overall bleak and gloomy atmosphere.

In it's rage
Personifies the storm, creating a sense of chaos and danger.

But the white bird
Contrasts the previous lines and brings the focus back to the bird.

Just sits in her cage
Emphasizes the bird's inability to escape or take action.

Unknown
Suggests that the bird's existence and plight are unacknowledged and overlooked.

White bird must fly
States the central theme and problem the bird faces: it must fly to survive and thrive.

Or she will die
Adds urgency and stakes to the bird's situation.

Dreams of the aspen trees
Describes the bird's desires and aspirations for freedom and nature.

With their dying leaves
Elicits a sense of longing and sadness for a cycle of life that is fleeting.

Turning gold
Suggests the beauty and richness of nature that is beyond the bird's current grasp.

But the white bird
Reiterates the bird's limitations and the impossibility of realizing its dreams.

Just sits in her cage
Further emphasizes the bird's captivity and frustration.

Growing old
Reminds the reader of the passage of time and how little the bird has done to change its circumstances.

The sunsets come
Describes a natural progression of time.

The sunsets go
Continues the theme of time passing and the fleeting nature of life.

The clouds roll by
Gives a sense of constant change and movement in the natural world.

And the earth turns old
Personifies the earth and underscores the inevitable march of time.

And the young bird's eyes
Highlights the bird's youth and potential for growth and change.

Do always glow
Suggests hope and resilience in the face of adversity.

She must fly
Reiterates the central theme and the bird's only means of survival and fulfillment.

White bird must fly
Repeats the key phrase, driving home the urgency and importance of the bird's situation.

Or she will die
Reemphasizes the high stakes and the potential consequences of failure.

White bird
Repeats the opening line, bringing the focus back to the bird.

In a golden cage
Recalls the bird's confinement and lack of freedom.

On a winter's day
Evokes the earlier sense of bleakness and isolation.

In the rain
Recalls the idea of unsavory conditions and hardship.

White bird
Repeats the opening line, underscoring the bird's importance as a symbol.

In a golden cage
Reiterates the bird's confinement and lack of control over its life.

Alone
Dramatizes the bird's isolation and the difficulty of its situation.

White bird must fly
Repeats the key phrase and underscores the crucial nature of the bird's dilemma.

Or she will die
Concludes the song with a strong statement that drives home the central theme and the stakes of the bird's situation.