Exiles

The speaker is far from a place they once called home, feeling both anticipation and loneliness. Memories of spring, city streets, friends, and familiar scenery return, while the speaker reflects on why they had to leave. The mood shifts from restless longing toward a quieter understanding: life elsewhere may have widened their sympathy, even if they still miss home.

“Damp with expectancy” suggests nervous excitement or unease, not simply physical moisture. “The alleyway infantry” seems to describe children in the streets as if they were a small, rough-edged army, giving an ordinary city scene a playful but possibly harsh tone. The “trail” laid behind the speaker may mean a past or set of expectations that moved too slowly to follow; the speaker chose not to wait for fame or risk becoming known as a drunkard.

The song leaves the reason for leaving partly unclear. The speaker says they “had to go,” but does not explain exactly what forced that choice, and the references to fame and drinking could be fears, pressures, or paths they rejected. The old home’s “air of normality,” created by cliffs and a military band, also sounds gently ironic: what felt ordinary may have been unusual, or merely a reassuring appearance. The speaker can value solitude and a new perspective while still counting the hours and remembering home.