Dragonfly
Strawbs Lyrics


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The dragonfly appeared
The North wind brought it by
As summer slipped away
And autumn was approaching
It flew through silver trees
That stood beside the lake
I looked into its eyes
To find that it was smiling

The dragonfly was mine
As slender as a wand
It cast a spell as it clung
To leaves that soon were falling
Its camouflage grew faint
As my mind grew darker still
I scarcely dared to breathe
It was frail and I might harm it

Its touch was as soft as the thistledown
That is borne on the evening breeze
Its kiss was as warm as the summer rain
That whispers and sighs through the trees
And now the warmth of the pale winter sun
Has melted the heart of the snow




I lie awake throughout the night
And wait for the North wind to blow

Overall Meaning

The song "Dragonfly" by Strawbs is a poignant piece that captures the fleeting beauty of nature and the temporary nature of all things in this world. The opening lines describe how the dragonfly appeared on the scene, brought by the Northern wind during the transition from summer to autumn. The dragonfly is seen flitting through silver trees that line a lake, and the singer draws closer to observe it. As they gaze into the dragonfly's eyes, they realize that it appears to be smiling, suggesting that even insects can convey a sense of happiness and contentment.


The dragonfly then becomes symbolic of the singer's own inner state, as its fragility and delicacy are paralleled by the singer's own mental state, growing darker still. However, despite the singer's fear of harming the dragonfly, they are drawn to its softness and warmth, which are compared to the softness of thistledown and the warmth of summer rain. The song then ends with a reference to the coming of winter and the singer's longing for the Northern wind to blow once more.


Overall, "Dragonfly" is a beautifully crafted ode to the fleeting beauty of nature, and a reminder that everything in this world passes away eventually, including our own hopes and dreams.


Line by Line Meaning

The dragonfly appeared
A dragonfly was noticed suddenly


The North wind brought it by
The dragonfly came due to the influence of the North wind


As summer slipped away
Summer was coming to an end


And autumn was approaching
Autumn was about to begin


It flew through silver trees
The dragonfly flew among trees that shone silver


That stood beside the lake
These trees were located next to a body of water


I looked into its eyes
The singer gazed into the eyes of the dragonfly


To find that it was smiling
The dragonfly's expression appeared to the artist as a smile


The dragonfly was mine
The artist felt a personal connection to the dragonfly


As slender as a wand
The dragonfly was as thin as a wand


It cast a spell as it clung
The dragonfly had a magical effect as it held onto objects


To leaves that soon were falling
The dragonfly clung to leaves that were close to falling off the tree


Its camouflage grew faint
The dragonfly's ability to blend in became less effective


As my mind grew darker still
As the singer's thoughts became more negative, the dragonfly became more visible


I scarcely dared to breathe
The singer was so captivated that they were holding their breath in admiration


It was frail and I might harm it
The artist recognized the dragonfly's delicate state and was afraid of hurting it


Its touch was as soft as the thistledown
The dragonfly's touch was as gentle as the softest thistledown


That is borne on the evening breeze
Similar to the floating thistledown, the dragonfly's flight was light and airy


Its kiss was as warm as the summer rain
The dragonfly's contact was comforting and similar to the warmth of summer rainfall


That whispers and sighs through the trees
The soft sound of the summer rain created a peaceful atmosphere


And now the warmth of the pale winter sun
The artist is now in winter, but the sun still brings warmth


Has melted the heart of the snow
The sun has caused the snow to thaw and disappear


I lie awake throughout the night
The singer is awake all night


And wait for the North wind to blow
The artist waits for the North wind to bring another magical experience




Contributed by Jasmine K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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