To a Poet
First Aid Kit Lyrics


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And you said, "Don't give me nothing
You don't want to lose"
I said, "Darling, I'll give you everything I got
If I want them to choose"

Then I got on a plane and flew
Far away from you
Though unwillingly I left
And it was so, so hard to do

The streets here at home had rapidly filled up
With the whitest of snow
And they don't make no excuse for themselves
And there's no need, I know

Now I miss you more than I can take
And I will surely break
And every morning that I wake
God, it's the same
There's nothing more to it,
I just get through it
Oh, there's nothing more to it
I just get through it

It always takes me by surprise
How dark it gets this time of the year
And how apparent it all becomes
That you're not close, not even near

No matter how many times I tell myself
I have to be sincere
I have a hard time standing up
And facing those fears

But Frank put it best when he said
"You can't plan on the heart"
Those words keep me on my feet
When I think I might just fall apart

Now I miss you more than I can take
And I will surely break
And every morning that I wake
God, it's the same
There's nothing more to it,
I just get through it
Oh, there's nothing more to it
I just get through it
Oh, there's nothing more to it
I just get through it

And so I ask where are you now
Just when I needed you
I won't ask again




Because I know there's nothing we can do
Not now, darling, you know it's true

Overall Meaning

First Aid Kit's song "To a Poet" tells the tale of a failed relationship from the perspective of the singer. The lyrics begin with a conversation between the two lovers, with one warning the other to only give what they can afford to lose. The singer, however, promises to give their all to their partner, even if it means losing everything. Eventually, the singer is forced to leave due to unforeseen circumstances and they find themselves missing the other person deeply. The winter season only exacerbates their loneliness and they struggle to face their emotions head-on. The words of Frank (presumably a reference to musician Frank Turner) provide some solace for the singer, who understands that matters of the heart cannot be planned for.


The song highlights the difficulty of moving on from a lost love, especially when it feels as though they were the one. Even with good intentions and a willingness to make things work, sometimes it's simply not meant to be. The singer is left grappling with their feelings and trying to come to terms with the fact that they may never see their former partner again. The use of seasonal imagery, particularly the snow, adds to the melancholy tone of the piece, as does the repetition of the phrase "there's nothing more to it, I just get through it."


Overall, "To a Poet" is a bittersweet reflection on love and loss, and the emotional toll it can take on a person.


Interesting Facts:


* First Aid Kit is a Swedish folk duo consisting of sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg
* The song was originally released as a bonus track on the European version of their album "Stay Gold"
* "To a Poet" was later included on the North American release of their album "The Lion's Roar"
* The song was inspired in part by a postcard they received from a fan who had lost their partner
* In an interview with Rolling Stone, Klara stated that the song "is the perfect example of a song that works best when you just let it flow and it's emotional."
* The music video for the song was directed by Neil Krug and shows the sisters walking through a snowy forest
* "To a Poet" has been covered by a number of artists, including Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers
* The song was featured on the TV series "Suits" during season 6.
* First Aid Kit's music is often compared to classic folk artists like Joni Mitchell and Emmylou Harris.
* The duo has been active since 2007 and has released four full-length albums in addition to several EPs and singles.


Chords:


Unfortunately, the chords for "To a Poet" are not publicly available at this time.


Line by Line Meaning

And you said, "Don't give me nothing You don't want to lose"
You mentioned to me: please don't give me anything that you'd regret losing


I said, "Darling, I'll give you everything I got If I want them to choose"
I promised you, my love, that I'll provide everything I have if I desire to be with you


Then I got on a plane and flew Far away from you Though unwillingly I left And it was so, so hard to do
I boarded a plane, departed from you even though I didn't want to and it was incredibly difficult for me to leave your side


The streets here at home had rapidly filled up With the whitest of snow And they don't make no excuse for themselves And there's no need, I know
The streets back home are covered in snow and while it may seem like an inconvenience, the snow doesn't make any apologies because it doesn't need to - it just is


Now I miss you more than I can take And I will surely break And every morning that I wake God, it's the same There's nothing more to it, I just get through it Oh, there's nothing more to it I just get through it
I'm missing you so much that it's unbearable, and each time I wake up it's a constant struggle to get through the day, I just try my best to soldier on


It always takes me by surprise How dark it gets this time of the year And how apparent it all becomes That you're not close, not even near
I'm always caught off guard by how dark it is this time of year and how it highlights how far away you are, you're not even within my vicinity


No matter how many times I tell myself I have to be sincere I have a hard time standing up And facing those fears
Despite reminding myself to be honest, it's difficult to own up and face the fears that come with the honesty


But Frank put it best when he said "You can't plan on the heart" Those words keep me on my feet When I think I might just fall apart
Frank's words really resonate with me, he said that you cannot dictate matters pertaining to the heart, it keeps me grounded when I fear I might crumble


And so I ask where are you now Just when I needed you I won't ask again Because I know there's nothing we can do Not now, darling, you know it's true
I inquire where you are now, just when I crave your presence the most, but I vow not to ask again because I'm aware that there's nothing we can do at this point, you know it too




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHANNA KAJSA S�DERBERG, JOHANNA KAJSA SOEDERBERG, KLARA MARIA S�DERBERG, KLARA MARIA SOEDERBERG, MATTIAS LARS KRISTOFFER BERGQVIST

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

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And you said, "Don't give me nothing
You don't want to lose"
I said, "Darling, I'll give you everything I got
If I want them to choose"
Then I got on a plane and flew
Far away from you
Though unwillingly I left
And it was so, so hard to do
The streets here at home had rapidly filled up
With the whitest of snow
And they don't make no excuse for themselves
And there's no need, I know
Now I miss you more than I can take
And I will surely break
And every morning that I wake
God, it's the same
There's nothing more to it,
I just get through it
Oh, there's nothing more to it
I just get through it
It always takes me by surprise
How dark it gets this time of the year
And how apparent it all becomes
That you're not close, not even near
No matter how many times I tell myself
I have to be sincere
I have a hard time standing up
And facing those fears
But Frank put it best when he said
"You can't plan on the heart"
Those words keep me on my feet
When I think I might just fall apart
Now I miss you more than I can take
And I will surely break
And every morning that I wake
God, it's the same
There's nothing more to it,
I just get through it
Oh, there's nothing more to it
I just get through it
Oh, there's nothing more to it
I just get through it
And so I ask where are you now
Just when I needed you
I won't ask again
Because I know there's nothing we can do
Not now, darling, you know it's true



All comments from YouTube:

Mark J. Beukema

This is my favorite song of theirs. I especially love the first line of the song “And you said, “Don’t give me nothing you don’t want to lose.” I said, “Darling I’ll give you everything I’ve got if I want, I’m to choose.” Who among us hasn’t been willing to give everything they have to someone who doesn’t love them in the hopes that they’ll change their minds?

Zorg

Beautiful Mark. It's my favourite too. If I had to pick one of theirs, it's this. As the song says, there is this ache. Mesmerising.

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Florence

This is mesmerizing, heartbreaking and has healing powers at the same time. This song truly gets me every time I listen to it!

Gary LeLacheur

These girls can sing clearly and strongly, and they write melodious music. Their voices in harmony are astonishing. Their talent is rare in these modern times in which noise passes for music. They are something approaching a miracle. I hope their success continues.

qep

My best and only friend died in March. This was his favorite song, and it always brings me to tears at the line “It always gets me by surprise how dark it gets this time of year”. Because I’m pretty sure that now every spring will be so, so dark to me. I feel so freaking empty and alone without him, and this song truly helps me to survive, even though I cry like a baby every time I listen to it.

Laura Wynn

I am sorry you lost your friend. This is a beautiful song.

Odd-one-out

I’m sorry about that. loosing your best friend must be so hard. You know, you have a friend in me if you ever need it. I think you have to realize that Spring is beautiful and I think your buddy wouldn’t want you to be sad, especially when spring time is beautiful. I hope when you see the first leaf on a tree or the first flower bloom that you remember your best friend in the best way possible. I’m sure your friend would love that. Sending you blessings.

qep

I really hope that Spring will be merciful to all of us next year and that we will all have a chance to breathe deeply and enjoy nature reviving again. It truly is a nice time of year, maybe even the nicest, so I agree, I must gratefully accept the opportunity to observe all the first small leaves, even if someone I loved so much is 'not close, not even near' and will never be.

Anyway. Thank you so very much. You're a wonderful person just because you've written this comment. It means a lot to me, even if it seems like you haven't done much. Sometimes someone's kind words can help you to hold on much more than anything else.

Bless you, too.

Odd-one-out

@qep oh Maurice I couldn’t be more grateful that my words helped you. They were sincere. When my aunt passed away so suddenly I felt so guilty when I never returned her call the time she was still living. I was driving so I don’t use my phone while driving so I told myself “when I get there I’ll call her back” and I never did. But I was able to see her in my dreams several times. I’m not trying to make this about me at all I just really hope that happens to you so you can get some closure from your friend. It really helped me find some peace of mind. But you are welcome and anytime you need someone to talk to I’m here. You will be okay. ::)

Great Dane Channel

Just wanted to send my sympathies and energy on the loss of your friend. Love this band. Glad they help. I have a little Great Dane youtube channel you may find a nice distraction. Happy to connect. Have a Great Dane.

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