She was the Universe
The Ocean Lyrics

I had a dream which was not all a dream:
The singer experienced a vivid dream that felt like reality.

The sun was extinguished,
The sun was no longer shining, leaving the world in darkness.

And, the stars wandered dark-ling in space,
The stars were obscured and difficult to see in the dark sky.

Ray-less, and pathless.
There were no visible rays of light or clear paths to follow.

And, the icy Earth swung blind and blackened in the moonless air.
The Earth was cold, dark, and invisible in the absence of the moon's light.

And, men forgot their passions in the dread
People lost their motivation or enthusiasm due to the overwhelming fear surrounding them.

Of this, their desolation.
The miserable, lonely, and bleak situation they found themselves in.

And, all hearts were chilled into a selfish prayer for light:
People became self-centered in their desperation for light to guide them out of the darkness.

They did live by watchfires,
People relied on small fires to light their way and provide heat.

And, the throats of crowned kings.
Even the most powerful and privileged individuals were reduced to huddling around a fire for warmth and survival.

Habitations of all things which dwell
All living beings' homes or habitats.

Were burnt for beacons.
Homes and habitats were burned for the purpose of creating larger fires or signals to indicate to other people where to find help.

(Oh, Lord)
A cry to a higher power or supreme being for help or guidance.

I lack strength (I lack strength)
The singer is feeling weak, powerless, or unable to face a difficult challenge.

To turn and leave you.
Leaving behind someone or something that is holding them back or causing them pain is difficult or impossible for the singer.

There's no confidence (I lack strength)
The artist has lost their faith, trust and self-assuredness.

In my hesitation.
The artist is unable to take action or make decisions due to their own uncertainty and doubt.

Happy were those who dwelt within the eye of the volcanoes.
People living near active volcanoes were content or at least safe from the darkness and coldness experienced by others.

Their mountain-torch: A fearful hope was all the world contained.
The fires burning within the volcanoes provided hope to those living nearby, though the situation still seemed dire.

Forests were set on fire,
Even nature itself was burning due to the lack of light and warmth.

But, hour by hour, they fell and faded.
The fires in the forests weakened and eventually went out, leaving people to face continued darkness and coldness.

The crackling trunks extinguished with a crash,
The sounds of the trees falling and the fires dying out were loud and abrupt.

And all was black.
The darkness was all-encompassing and complete.

The brows of men, by the despairing light, wore an unearthly aspect.
The faces of people could barely be seen in the weak light and their expressions were unusual or distorted due to the fear they felt.

The flashes fell upon them; Some lay down, and hid their eyes,
When a sudden light would appear, some people would cower or try to avoid it.

And some did rest their chins upon their clenched hands, and smiled.
Others tried to accept or cope with the darkness by resigning themselves to it and forcing themselves to be happy despite the circumstances.

She was the universe.
A reference to a woman who is all-encompassing, complex, and possibly the embodiment of the universe.

And, vipers crawled,
Snakes or other dangerous animals were present in this dark and hostile environment.

And twined themselves among the multitude,
Snakes were among the people, coiling around them and using them as shelter.

Hissing, but sting-less.
Though they were venomous or dangerous, the snakes were unable to actually harm people due to their weakened state.

They were slain for food --
People resorted to killing snakes and other animals for sustenance.

A meal was bought with blood.
People had to kill or be killed in order to survive and provide food for their families.

And each sat apart,
Despite being together in this dire situation, people were still divided and focused on their own survival.

Gorging himself in gloom.
People were eating as much food as possible due to the scarcity of resources, but doing so in darkness and despair.

No love was left.
The people were so focused on survival that they did not have the capacity for love or compassion.