Bear's Vision of St. Agnes
mewithoutYou Lyrics

Barren rocks and sand, Bear & Fox held hands,
Bear and Fox walk to St.Agnes and hold hands while walking through a desolate landscape

Held like a timber hitch, held candles to the sun
Both friends hold onto each other tightly while admiring the beauty of a sunset

Both faint and fading fast, they walked on, windward
Despite being tired, the two continue walking towards their destination against the wind

Kept time with a pocket mouse, mouths kept mostly shut
They keep walking but do not talk much, and watch the mouse for time

Thought broke the silence like a bone
One of them finally speaks up, breaking the silence with a deep, thoughtful comment

"You've worn me like an albatross,
One friend accuses the other of burdening them like an albatross, slowing them down

I've only slowed you down.
The friend admits to being the one slowing the other down

You could've long traded in your braided crown by now
The first friend expresses regret that the other hasn't achieved all that they could have by now

You could've found that Anabaptist girl you always used to go on about
They remind the other of an old crush they used to talk about finding

As we rode in circles on our bicycles
They reminisce about a time in the past when they rode bikes in circles

We walked on balance beams
They remember another time when they walked on beam for the entertainment of others

The audience cheered for us
They recall how the audience cheered for them during their performance

We burned like fevers under carriage hats
They describe how they felt during their performance, like a fever, burning inside

Hid behind Venetian masks
They reveal that part of their performance was hiding their identity behind masks

In our human costumes
Despite being in costumes and hiding their identities, they were still human underneath

We stood like statues once in shepherd's check
They recall another instance in the past when they stood still like statues

We'll both be decked in herringbone,
They foresee a future where they will both be wearing herringbone suits

Wrapped border drab around already broken ironstone"
They give a poetic description of the surroundings they're walking through

"But I've seen these cliffs before,
One friend expresses familiarity with their surroundings

St. Agnes brought her palm branch to the hospital
They reference a religious figure bringing a palm branch to the hospital

Looked upward lest the charm had fled
St.Agnes looks towards the sky, hoping for a sign of good luck or protection

From my brother's breathing bed
The artist references their brother's hospital bed

And when he died I shut his dogtooth violet eyes:
The singer talks about shutting their brother's eyes when he died

He looked just like me
The artist notes how they looked similar to their brother

Climb on down and see
The singer invites the other to come down and see something

They laid him on the rocks below
They talk about where their brother's body was placed after he died

There'll be enough to fill your cup for days;
The singer assures the other that there will be enough for them to see and reflect on for days

I'll stay up here and rest.
The artist decides to stay where they are and rest

We'll fly in straight lines as from carronades
They describe a future where they will move forward in a straight and powerful line

We'll crash like tidal waves, decimate the islands
They describe their impact on the world around them as powerful and destructive like a tidal wave

As our hollowed lumber falls like water, ends where I start
Their actions may seem repetitive and meaningless, leading to the same start point again and again

In that tattered rag shop back in Asbury Park
They reminisce about another location in the past, where they spent time together

Look how soon my hands won't move
The artist notes that they are losing their strength, and their hands won't move soon

But if you'll improve, we'll all improve
They say that if the friends push each other to improve, they both will improve

Sixty feet and my feet won't move
The singer is getting tired and notes how they'll soon be unable to move their own feet

But if you'll improve, we'll all improve
They repeat that improving together can help them both succeed

Forty feet, my legs won't move
The singer notes that they are getting more and more fatigued, and their legs are failing them

But as you improve, we all improve
Once again, the singer emphasizes the need for the other to improve too, so they can both progress

Fill our den with acorn mast,
The singer talks about gathering food and building a habitat together

I'll wake before the salmon pass
The artist says they will be ready to act before it's too late

Ten foot more and nothing moves
The distance they've covered has really taken its toll, and they will barely be able to move soon