Salutations in the Dark
Marissa Nadler Lyrics

The lyrics to Marissa Nadler's song, "Damsels in the Dark," are a sad and somber reflection on a failed relationship. The singer seems to be holding on to mementos of the past - photographs and keepsakes - but ultimately decides to destroy them as a way of letting go of the person they once loved. The repetition of the lines "Photographs of your face / Against the wind / Against the rain" suggests that these images have been a persistent presence in the singer's life, but now they must be eradicated. The act of burning and burying serves as a symbolic way of putting the relationship to rest and moving on.

The song speaks to the pain and difficulty of letting go of someone you once loved deeply. The choice to use the phrase "damsels in the dark" is an interesting one - it connotes a sense of vulnerability and hopelessness, as if the singer and their former partner were lost in a dark forest and unable to find their way out. The "sea-shell branches in the park" add to this atmosphere of desolation and loneliness. The singer is trapped in a place of memories, unable to move forward until these objects are removed from their life. It's a heartbreaking sentiment that many people can relate to - the desire to hold on to something that's hurting you simply because it's all you have left.