Como Conservatory St. Paul Winter
Neil Hilborn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Today we are in the Sunken
Garden. We have come here because
outside of this greenhouse it is cold
and dry and the nosebleeds
are beginning, but you have come here
because I asked you to. We watch
around the fountain. These girls
are climbing onto and jumping from
everything. These girls are indestructible.
I am thinking about what our children
would look like but when you ask
what I am thinking I tell you nosebleeds.
You tell me about your ex-boyfriend's
brother's wedding, three years ago
in the very spot where we sit, and this
seems wildly appropriate given both
that we will definitely not be married now
and that, in moments after you had fallen
asleep on my chest, those endless, nightly
moments in which I imagined our wedding, it was
always here, in this spot, this fucking spot where now
we sit and I want to kiss you now, but I do not
tell you because it is no longer
surprising or sad. You are getting up
to leave and maybe if I sit here
long enough, here in this place I have
seen in dreams, in dreams from which
I barely wake even when I am awake, dreams
of waiting, of "I do," of waiting for god to appear
and touch both of us and say I Am Here, here
long enough you will appear down the aisle, white,
white dress, your father beside you, flowers
in hand.
The lyrics of Neil Hilborn's "Como Conservatory, St Paul, Winter" paint a picture of a melancholic winter day, where the only respite from the cold outside can be found in the Sunken Garden of the titular greenhouse. The scene is set with the mention of nosebleeds signaling the dryness and cold present outside, and the singer's companion is there only because they were asked to be. The focus soon shifts to the family strolling around the fountain, with the girls in the group being described as indestructible as they gleefully jump around.
The singer's thoughts turn to their future together with their companion, going so far as to imagine the appearance of their children. However, when directly asked what's on their mind, the singer can only mention the nosebleeds. Their companion, in contrast, talks about an old memory of a wedding that took place right where they're sitting, a topic that feels like it fits their present situation perfectly - they won't be getting married, and the singer's earlier dreams of a shared future now feel like nothing but a distant fantasy. The singer is tempted to kiss their companion, but they say nothing, resigned to the fact that it wouldn't change their current situation.
The final moments of the song are somewhat surreal, as the singer imagines their companion walking down the aisle towards them in a wedding scenario that will never happen. The image is so vivid that the singer is tempted to wait in the Sunken Garden for a glimpse of their companion as they would appear in their dreams. The lyrics leave a melancholic and bittersweet aftertaste, with the singer's unfulfilled dreams of love and commitment lingering even as they fade into the winter evening.
Line by Line Meaning
Como Conservatory, St Paul, Winter
The location and season are specified
Today we are in the Sunken Garden. We have come here because outside of this greenhouse it is cold and dry and the nosebleeds are beginning, but you have come here because I asked you to.
The couple is inside the Sunken Garden greenhouse to avoid the cold weather, and one of them requested the other to join them
We watch as a family winds its slow parade around the fountain. These girls are climbing onto and jumping from everything. These girls are indestructible.
The couple observes a family with young girls who are carefree and fearless, as they climb and play around the fountain
I am thinking about what our children would look like but when you ask what I am thinking I tell you nosebleeds.
One of them is daydreaming about starting a family, but deflects the question by mentioning nosebleeds
You tell me about your ex-boyfriend's brother's wedding, three years ago in the very spot where we sit, and this seems wildly appropriate given both that we will definitely not be married now and that, in moments after you had fallen asleep on my chest, those endless, nightly moments in which I imagined our wedding, it was always here, in this spot, this fucking spot where now we sit and I want to kiss you now, but I do not tell you because it is no longer surprising or sad.
The other person recounts a past wedding that happened in the exact same location as their current visit. The artist had frequently dreamt about getting married in the same location with their partner, but those dreams are far from reality now. They desire to kiss their partner but feels like it would be futile to mention it
You are getting up to leave and maybe if I sit here long enough, here in this place I have seen in dreams, in dreams from which I barely wake even when I am awake, dreams of waiting, of "I do," of waiting for god to appear and touch both of us and say I Am Here, here long enough you will appear down the aisle, white, white dress, your father beside you, flowers in hand.
The other person is preparing to leave as the singer continues to visualize dreams of getting married in the same location. They imagine the possibility of their partner walking down the aisle towards them with certain details like a white dress, flowers, and family members at the wedding
Contributed by Adeline V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.