On Reflection
Herbert [Matthew Herbert] Lyrics


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Even then i must have known
Felt the stretch of skin on bone
As then
I stared
For too long at my own
On reflection

Only when my hands went numb
Failing cells of each begun
To touch
And spin
Like lines around the sun
On reflection

So tonight i sit and wait
Hear the sounds of life grow late
And look
Through the ice




Of an ever older me
On reflection

Overall Meaning

In this song by Herbert titled "On Reflection," the lyrics delve into the introspection and self-reflection that comes as one gets older. The first verse talks about a moment in the past where the singer stared at their own reflection for too long, feeling the stretch of skin on bone. This is possibly a metaphor for recognizing the physical changes that come with age. The second verse talks about the singer's failing cells and how they began to touch and spin like lines around the sun. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the passing of time and the physical decline that inevitably comes with age.


The final verse has the singer sitting and waiting, listening to the sounds of life grow late, while looking through the ice of an ever-older self. This last line ties in nicely with the metaphor of ice, because as we age, we often become more rigid and less flexible in our ways of thinking and being. Overall, the song's lyrics seem to be about coming to terms with the aging process and reflecting on the changes that come with it.


Line by Line Meaning

Even then I must have known
At some level, I was aware of my mortality.


Felt the stretch of skin on bone
I was conscious of my physical body and how it changes over time.


As then I stared
At the time, I was not fully aware of what I was doing.


For too long at my own
I spent an excessive amount of time looking at myself.


On reflection
Now, upon reflection, I can see how this experience affected me.


Only when my hands went numb
I became so absorbed in my own appearance that I lost physical sensation in my hands.


Failing cells of each begun
My body was slowly succumbing to the natural process of aging.


To touch
I realized that my sense of touch was also diminishing with time.


And spin
At a certain point, I couldn't even control my own movements.


Like lines around the sun
My perception of time began to warp and twist like the orbits of planets around the sun.


On reflection
Now, with hindsight, I see how these physical changes affected my sense of self.


So tonight I sit and wait
Now, I am taking a moment to pause and reflect.


Hear the sounds of life grow late
As time passes, the sounds of everyday life become more muted.


And look
I am examining my own thoughts and feelings.


Through the ice
My introspection is like looking through a frozen layer that obscures my true self.


Of an ever older me
I am slowly accepting the inevitability of aging and mortality.


On reflection
Through this process of introspection, I am gaining a deeper understanding of myself and my place in the world.




Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC.
Written by: MATTHEW HERBERT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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