PJ Harvey - Seem an I LYRICS
Bedraggled angels blethered
across Eleven Acres
as belling from the bwoneyard
a-rangled round the archet
Her fingernails a-ripped
from hauling clay-filled fists
out of the river’s edges
for pots with happy voices
Conzum-ed with twanketen
that’s only eased by scratching
whisp-words slim as thistles
or a sickly chicken’s whistles
Seem an I a childhood
of quartere’il and wormwood
of not-friends running nowhere
of vog a-veiling elsewhere
Till in the vaulted barn
queer-lit by dummet zun
she knew herself a vessel
fit for a different wordle
where footsteps must be lwone
and barefoot upon stones
and the northwind’s ever-host
gives edges to the ghosts
Seem an I a childhood
of quartere’il and wormwood
of not-friends running nowhere
of vog a-veiling elsewhere
of mother’s voice not-calling
of corrugated iron
of devil’s birds and whiskey
of chilver hogs and fleecy
and nuts I could not reapy
and nuts I could not reapy
Storytelling:
The song depicts a woman's fragmented memories of a challenging childhood. Images like "bedraggled angels," "hauling clay-filled fists," and "not-friends running nowhere" paint a picture of isolation and hardship. The "vaulted barn" becomes a pivotal point where she envisions a different, "lwone" and "barefoot" future.
Main Theme:
The song explores themes of self-discovery, yearning for belonging, and the desire to escape a difficult past.
Key Words and Meanings:
- Eleven Acres: A specific location, possibly significant to the woman's memories.
- bwoneyard: Graveyard.
- archet: An arc or curve.
- quartere’il: Possibly a dialect variation of "quarrel" or "quarantine," suggesting hardship or isolation.
- wormwood: A bitter herb, symbolic of hardship and suffering.
- vog: A thick fog, representing obscurity or concealment.
- dummet zun: Dim light, creating an unsettling atmosphere.
- wordle: World, suggesting a desire for a different reality.
- lwone: Lone, emphasizing solitude.
- northwind's ever-host: The chilling presence of the north wind, possibly symbolizing the harshness of the past.
- chilver hogs: Wild boars, potentially representing a sense of danger or threat.
- fleecy: Soft and woolly, possibly contrasting with the harsh realities described.
- reapy: Reap, suggesting a yearning for something unattainable.
Emotional Analysis:
The song evokes a sense of melancholy, longing, and a desire for escape. The repetitive phrase "Seem an I" adds a sense of searching and questioning one's identity.
Narrative and Core:
The entire song lyrically builds the story and conveys its essence.
Psychological Analysis:
The song hints at the psychological impact of a difficult childhood, potentially leaving the woman feeling isolated and yearning for a different life.
Overall Message:
"Seem an I" explores the complexities of overcoming a challenging past and finding one's place in the world. It portrays the struggle for self-discovery and the bittersweet hope for a brighter future.
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