Under an Ancient Oak
Tears of Mankind Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

At the mysterious river, in a sleeping wood,
In a dark grove there is an ancient and sad oak
There, the covered foliage, the tomb has settled down
In it the most secret desires covered with ashes of time

In fine light of the wood, painted by gloomy tones
Its silhouette flickers blue sparks - they so are beautiful and sad
She looks at me an illusive sight, she calls me, she calls me
Its hair cry on a wind, twisting me immersing in deep dream

I shall have a drink you to the bottom, I shall enjoy this marvellous taste
Sweet lips touch me - give me this last kiss, keeping away and keeping away from me




Delightful sufferings of carnal love will carry away us in nonexistence
Learn my flesh, having plunged completely in oblivion of my caress

Overall Meaning

The lyrics depict a mysterious and melancholic scene in a sleeping wood where a mysterious river flows and an ancient oak tree stands. The tree is described as sad and covered with foliage and tomb, where the most secret desires are buried with the ashes of time. Despite its sadness and age, the tree flickers blue sparks in the fine light of the wood, creating a beautiful yet sad sight. As the singer is called by the tree, an illusive sight appears, and the tree's hair cries on the wind, immersing the singer in a deep dream.


The lyrics also include a sense of longing for the taste of the wood and the sweet lips that touch the singer. The desire to experience the "delightful sufferings of carnal love" as a way to escape nonexistence is expressed. Through the lyrics, the tree becomes a metaphor for the longing of the singer's deepest desires, where they seek to escape from the boundaries of reality to gain a sense of fulfillment.


Line by Line Meaning

At the mysterious river, in a sleeping wood,
In a secluded and quiet forest by a river


In a dark grove there is an ancient and sad oak
There is an old and melancholic oak tree in the shadowy grove


There, the covered foliage, the tomb has settled down
The fallen leaves have made a tomb-like cover over it


In it the most secret desires covered with ashes of time
It symbolizes the unfulfilled and forgotten wishes of the past


In fine light of the wood, painted by gloomy tones
The forest is illuminated by a soft light, but the colors are still somber


Its silhouette flickers blue sparks - they so are beautiful and sad
The tree's shape glimmers with a blue light, both enchanting and melancholic


She looks at me an illusive sight, she calls me, she calls me
The tree seems to call and beckon the singer with an elusive presence


Its hair cry on a wind, twisting me immersing in deep dream
The tree's branches sway and rustle in the wind, drawing the artist into a dreamlike state


I shall have a drink you to the bottom, I shall enjoy this marvellous taste
I will fully indulge and embrace this experience


Sweet lips touch me - give me this last kiss, keeping away and keeping away from me
The embrace of the tree feels like a final kiss, simultaneously drawing close and pulling away


Delightful sufferings of carnal love will carry away us in nonexistence
This experience of pain and pleasure will transport us to a state of oblivion


Learn my flesh, having plunged completely in oblivion of my caress
Absorb my essence and revel in the forgetfulness of my touch




Contributed by Makayla R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions