The Lake And The River
The Dear Hunter Lyrics

Everything you'd live and die for
The things that are most important to you in life, that you would do anything for, are emphasized.

Reasons leading you through here
You are here for a specific reason, and as events unfold, you will discover what that reason is.

Perished matriarchal bonds
The maternal relationships that once grounded you have disappeared, leaving you feeling lost and disconnected.

Failing innocence of love
Your idealized view of love and romantic relationships has been shattered, and you are struggling to come to terms with this loss of innocence.

When the world beckons your approach
Even as the world calls out to you, promising new experiences and adventures, it may also consume and overwhelm you.

It swallows you whole
The world has the power to completely envelop and consume you, leaving you feeling helpless and small.

You'll believe what you're led to believe
It's easy to accept what others tell you or what society expects of you, rather than questioning and exploring things for yourself.

In the hands of ghosts we're never responsible
When we allow the ghosts of the past to dictate our actions and beliefs, we give up our own sense of agency and responsibility.

Wait to see what you're meant to see
You can't force understanding or clarity, but must remain patient in order for things to unfold as they are meant to.

The veil lifts when you expose your soul
Authenticity and vulnerability allow you to lift the veil and gain deeper insight or understanding into yourself and the world around you.

Pray'd I would leave this place someday
Longing to leave or escape the current situation, to move on to something better or different, has its own power and energy.

Joined to alarm from long ago now unconcerned
Events or fears from the past may still be haunting you, but they no longer have the same power or urgency in your life.

Euphorically floating upon wax wings where is the sun?
Pursuing pleasure or excitement without concern for the consequences can lead to disastrous results; the sun is both a source of power and a symbol for controlling one's desires.

I still see her face; her beauty, her grace
Memories of someone who was once important to you, someone who possessed qualities you admired, continue to resonate with you.

Transfixed like a light in front of me
These memories are so vivid and compelling that they actually immobilize or captivate you, making it difficult to move on.

It follows my soul
These memories are not simply in your mind, but are tied to a deeper spiritual or emotional part of yourself that cannot be easily shaken or ignored.

Left, right, left, right...
The repetition of walking forward implies the steady progression of time and experience, no matter how difficult or mundane.

His branches reached so far before
Someone or something that once had great potential or influence has aged or died, and its power has diminished.

His leaves were bold extremities with great control
Even as this thing lost potency, its legacy remains, its impact still feels present and significant.

Wasted along; he died alone
Despite the strength of this thing's impact, it ultimately faded away into nothingness, unremembered and alone.

She's inanimate, bloodless elegance
Whatever is being described here is beautiful and refined, but lacks a certain life force or warmth, making it seem almost eerie or unsettling.

Fatal fascination breeds a bloom of misery
Sometimes our own intense curiosity or infatuation can lead to disastrous consequences, causing us pain and grief.

Helpless hiding tongues, bathed in revulsion
It can be difficult to express our true thoughts and feelings, especially when they are negative or shameful, leading to intense self-loathing or disgust.

Here lies possibility wilting premature
The potential for something beautiful or transformative has been snuffed out before it had the chance to truly blossom or be realized.

But the right hand hates the left and the sea's upset with the sky
Sometimes even nature itself seems to be in conflict, opposing forces working against each other to create chaos rather than harmony.

So we press on in spite of the spite
Despite the apparent conflicts and challenges we face, we push on, determined to make something of ourselves or the world around us.

Happiness is a knife when the worlds on its side and your minds on fire
Even in the moments of greatest joy or contentment, there is always a sense of precariousness, awareness of how quickly everything can come crashing down if the mind is not in a stable, healthy place.

Trying to find the trouble with the trouble I've found
When things are difficult, it can be tempting to focus solely on solving that immediate problem, rather than addressing the underlying root causes of the trouble itself.

Begging my god to make the wheels go round
Even in moments of prayer or desperation, there is often a sense that we are ultimately powerless and at the mercy of something greater than ourselves.

Eat so much but I never get full
Sometimes we can pursue something obsessively, even when doing so is not ultimately fulfilling or satisfying.

Earth opened up and swallowed us whole
Even as we feel dwarfed and overwhelmed by the vastness of the world and its challenges, we must continue to face them head-on, lest they swallow us up completely.