What He Wrote
Laura Marling Lyrics
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He cut out my tongue
There is nothing to save
Love me, oh Lord
He threw me away
He laughed at my sins, in his arms I must stay
He wrote
Please send for me
But I am broken too
And spoken for
Do not tempt me
Her skin is white and I'm light as the sun
So holy light shines on the things, you have done
So I asked him how he became this man
How did he learn to hold fruit in his hands?
And where is the lamb that gave you your name?
He had to leave, though I begged him to stay
Left me alone, when I needed the light
Fell to my knees, and I wept for my life
If he had've stayed, you might understand
If he had've stayed, you never would have taken my hand
He wrote
I'm low
Please send for me
But I'm broken too
And spoken for
Do not tempt me
And where is the lamb, that gave you your name?
He had to leave, though I begged him to stay
Begged him to stay in my cold wooden grip
Begged him to stay by the light of this ship
Me fighting him, fighting life, fighting dawn
And the waves came and stole him and took him to war
He wrote
I'm broke
Please send for me
But I'm broken too
And spoken for
Do not tempt me
Forgive me, Hera, I cannot stay
Cut out my tongue, there is nothing to save
Love me, oh Lord
He threw me away
He laughed at my sins, in his arms I must stay
We write
That's all right
I miss his smell
We speak
When spoken to
That suits us well
That suits us well
That suits me well
"What He Wrote" is a song by Laura Marling that offers a grim tale of a troubled relationship between a sailor and a woman left at home, with a lot of biblical imagery and symbolism woven throughout. The song suggests that although they are physically far apart, their minds and hearts are inevitably intertwined. The first verse features a reference to the Greek goddess Hera, the wife of Zeus (the god of the sky and thunder in Greek mythology), responsible for family and childbirth. The persona asks forgiveness from Hera for not staying, suggesting that she might have left behind a loved one.
The sailor in question has cut out the persona's tongue, rendering her voiceless and unable to communicate. He has thrown her away, and she admits that despite his cruel nature, she is unable to leave his side. Marling then repeats a powerful refrain, "He wrote/I am broke/Please send for me/But I am broken too, and spoken for/Do not tempt me," that speaks to the sailor's desperation and the persona's inability to escape the cycle of pain in their relationship.
Another key image is that of the lamb, a biblical symbol of sacrifice, innocence and salvation. The persona asks the sailor where his lamb is, the one that gave him his name. This lamb could be interpreted as a symbol of purity, something the sailor lost as he became more involved in the chaos of war. The persona begs the sailor to stay, but he refuses, and the waves come and take him to war, leaving her alone to struggle with her pain and the tragedy of their failed relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Forgive me, Hera, I cannot stay
I'm sorry, goddess Hera, but I must leave
He cut out my tongue
He silenced me
There is nothing to save
There's no hope left
Love me, oh Lord
Loving God, show me your mercy
He threw me away
He abandoned me
He laughed at my sins, in his arms I must stay
He mocked my wrongdoings, but I'm still clinging to him
He wrote
He penned a letter
I am broke
I'm financially struggling
Please send for me
Please come to me
But I am broken too
But I'm also hurting
And spoken for
And already committed to someone else
Do not tempt me
Don't lead me astray
Her skin is white and I'm light as the sun
She's fair-skinned and I'm very pale
So holy light shines on the things, you have done
Divine light exposes your actions
So I asked him how he became this man
So I inquired about his origin
How did he learn to hold fruit in his hands?
How did he come to possess good things?
And where is the lamb that gave you your name?
And where is the source of your identity?
He had to leave, though I begged him to stay
He had to go, despite my pleas for him to stay
Left me alone, when I needed the light
Abandoned me when I needed guidance
Fell to my knees, and I wept for my life
Collapsed and cried for my survival
If he had've stayed, you might understand
If only he hadn't left, you would comprehend
If he had've stayed, you never would have taken my hand
If only he hadn't left, I wouldn't be in this situation
Begged him to stay in my cold wooden grip
Implored him to remain in my frigid embrace
Begged him to stay by the light of this ship
Pleaded for him to stay in the illumination of this vessel
Me fighting him, fighting life, fighting dawn
Me struggling against him, against life, against the start of a new day
And the waves came and stole him and took him to war
And the sea carried him away to battle
We write
We communicate through written correspondence
That's all right
It's acceptable
I miss his smell
I yearn for his scent
We speak
We converse
When spoken to
Only when addressed
That suits us well
That's appropriate for us
That suits me well
That's suitable for me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Laura Marling
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind