A Letter From a Friend
Emilie Autumn Lyrics

Precious thing
The person being addressed is deeply valuable to the singer.

I long for nothing more
The singer desires nothing beyond friendship with the person being addressed.

Than to be your friend
The singer seeks a platonic relationship with the person being addressed.

But I am not good
The artist has flaws that would make them a poor friend.

As you are
The person being addressed possesses admirable qualities that the artist lacks.

For I think
The singer has a tendency to overanalyze.

Where I should feel
The singer struggles to express emotions and often intellectualizes instead.

And I am not
The artist is not perfect or blameless.

Innocent
The artist has made mistakes or acted selfishly.

As you would think
The person being addressed may have an overly positive perception of the artist.

For I try
The singer makes an effort to manipulate the person being addressed.

To turn your head
The artist seeks to change the focus of their friend's attention.

And I never stop
The singer perseveres even when their efforts prove futile.

And I see you happy
The singer observes their friend's joy and well-being.

And I wish you well
The singer wants the best for their friend.

But in my wish
Even the artist's benevolent thoughts are tinged with selfishness.

Is my invitation
The artist desires to entice their friend into their own version of happiness.

To a different dream
The singer has a separate agenda for their friend's life.

And I wonder
The singer questions their own motives and intentions.

If I care for you at all
The artist doubts their own capacity for genuine affection.

Not to leave you alone
The artist wants to maintain the existing relationship, even if it is flawed.

Where you are content
The artist is aware of their friend's satisfaction, but still hopes to sway them.

And I long for nothing more
The singer reiterates their desire for friendship despite their ulterior motives.

But if you accept my gift
The artist fears their friend's acceptance may lead to negative consequences.

You will ruin it
The singer believes their friend's influence will corrupt the friendship.

And I will not give you
The singer refuses to provide what they promised due to their own limitations.

What I promised
The singer offered something that they cannot deliver.

Because
The artist explains their own inadequacy as the reason for failing to fulfill their promise.

I can’t
The artist is unable to follow through on their commitment.

But I will always
The singer is determined to persist in trying to maintain the friendship despite their own issues.

Offer
The singer continues to extend friendship and support regardless of their motives.

And I will always
Again, the artist emphasizes their commitment to persistence.

Deny it
The artist tries to hide their true intentions.

Because I have a most convenient
The artist has created a convenient facade of friendship to suit their own needs.

Guise
The superficial appearance that the singer uses to mask their true motives.

Of friendship
The artist tries to convince themselves and their friend that their relationship is only platonic.

Should you slip
The singer warns their friend of the consequences of deviating from the accepted framework of their friendship.

I should slay you
The singer will harm or destroy their friend if they stray from the acceptable bounds of their friendship.

Like all the others
The singer implies that others have been punished for the same behavior in the past.

And still I rain
Despite the artist's violent tendencies, they continue to offer support and comfort to their friend.

And say "walk my way"
The artist invites their friend to follow them despite the artist's potential to harm.

Because I adore
The singer has strong feelings of admiration for their friend.

Where I have no right
The singer acknowledges the inappropriateness of their desires.

But I ask you to become
The artist urges their friend to change and fit their own expectations.

Worse than you are
The artist wants their friend to adopt negative qualities or behaviors.

And neglect to mention
The artist fails to acknowledge that they are asking their friend to change in a negative way.

That I adore the part of you
The singer is drawn to a particular aspect of their friend's personality.

That does not love me
The artist knows their affection is unrequited.

For I long for nothing more
The singer reiterates their desire for friendship despite their hidden desires.

Than to be your friend
Again, the singer emphasizes their desire for a non-romantic relationship.

Yet I long for everything
The singer hopes for more than is possible given the existing relationship.

Friends will never be
The artist acknowledges that the friendship will never progress into a romantic one.

I think I may be
The artist acknowledges their own potential for harm or wrongdoing.

Cruel
The singer knows that their own desires conflict with their friend's wellbeing.

But if I harm none I am
The singer recognizes that their intentions are not objectively evil in the absence of harm to others.

Only evil
The artist acknowledges that their desires and behaviors are problematic.

And it hurts not to know if I am
The artist is unhappy with their own uncertainty regarding their moral standing and actions.

Terrible
The artist acknowledges the darker aspects of their personality.

Or only
The singer is unsure if their intentions and feelings are inherently negative or not.

In love
The artist questions whether their own desires stem from genuine affection or something more selfish and negative.