Visit
Solveig Slettahjell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and like a host, "Come in",
I boldly answered; entered then
my residence within.
A rapid footless guest,
to offer whom a chair,
were as impossible as hand
No bone had he to bind him
his feet was like the push
of numerous hummingbirds at once
from a superior bush.
His countenance a billow
his fingers, if he pass,
let go a music, as of tunes
blown tremulous in glass.
He visited, still flitting;
then like a timid man,
again he tapped - 'twas flurriedly -
and I became alone.
In Solveig Slettahjell's song "Visit," the lyrics revolve around someone's encounter with a mysterious and intangible guest. The guest is described as a wind that taps like a tired man, and the singer boldly answers and invites the wind into their residence. However, the wind is a rapid and footless guest, and offering a chair would be as impossible as handing a sofa to the air. The guest has no bone to bind him and his feet feel like the push of numerous hummingbirds at once.
The guest's countenance is compared to a billow, and when he passes his fingers, he creates a music that is tremulous like tunes blown in glass. The guest flits around, never settling down, and eventually taps again, this time flurriedly, before disappearing and leaving the singer alone. The song's atmosphere is mystical and ethereal, with the guest representing a fleeting and mysterious presence in the singer's life. The lyrics could be interpreted as a symbolic representation of the singer's feelings of transience and impermanence, as well as an invitation to embrace the fleeting moments of life.
Line by Line Meaning
The wind tapped like a tired man,
The sound of the wind tapping at the door was similar to that of a fatigued man knocking, suggesting a weariness or a need for attention.
and like a host, 'Come in',
The wind's knock seemed like an invitation, welcoming the listener into the space and encouraging them to accept and explore whatever it has to offer.
I boldly answered; entered then
The listener bravely accepts the wind's invitation and enters the space, indicating a sense of curiosity and adventure.
my residence within.
The listener finds themselves in a new space, possibly metaphorical, where they are free to explore and discover what it has to offer.
A rapid footless guest,
The wind is described as a guest, quick and without feet, which suggests a passing and fleeting presence in the space of the listener.
to offer whom a chair,
There is no point to offer the wind a place to rest, as it cannot sit or stay for very long, emphasizing its transient nature.
were as impossible as hand
It is not possible to provide the wind with a piece of furniture or any physical object, as its formless and ephemeral presence makes any offer futile.
a sofa to the air.
A sofa, representing comfort and stability, is contrasted with the air, which is intangible and impermanent, underscoring the idea that the offer would be absurd.
No bone had he to bind him
The wind is further characterized as an insubstantial and formless entity, with no physical body or structure to hold it in place.
his feet was like the push
The wind's 'feet' are described figuratively as a force or movement, potentially echoing the idea of an unseen energy driving its presence.
of numerous hummingbirds at once
The sudden movement of the wind is compared to the frenzied fluttering of multiple hummingbirds, suggesting a sense of chaos and intensity.
from a superior bush.
The source of this energy is located in a 'superior bush,' whose exact nature is left undefined but may represent a higher power or spiritual realm that gives the wind its strength.
His countenance a billow
The wind's appearance is likened to a 'billow,' referencing the way it moves or swells, possibly linking it to the rising and falling of waves or the flow of water.
his fingers, if he pass,
If the wind were to brush by, its intangible 'fingers' would evoke a sense of touch or sensation that is fleeting and ethereal in nature.
let go a music, as of tunes
The movement of the wind is accompanied by a unique 'music' that is not audible in the traditional sense, but rather is a sound created by its own passing.
blown tremulous in glass.
This music is described as 'tremulous,' or vibrating or quivering in a way that is reminiscent of the sound created by blowing on the edge of a glass, giving it a haunting and beautiful quality.
He visited, still flitting;
The wind is portrayed as visiting or paying a brief and impermanent visit, emphasizing its fleeting and insubstantial nature.
then like a timid man,
The wind's behavior changes, becoming timid or nervous in its flitting approach, perhaps suggesting a fear or uncertainty in its presence.
again he tapped - 'twas flurriedly -
The wind taps again, but this time in a more hurried or agitated way, which contributes to the atmosphere of tension and uncertainty.
and I became alone.
The listener is left alone after the wind's departure, highlighting the ephemeral and brief nature of the encounter, but also potentially suggesting a sense of loss or longing for its return.
Contributed by Reagan I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.