What I've Done

The speaker looks back on harmful choices and wants to stop being defined by them. The mood moves from regret and uncertainty toward a decision to begin again. This is not an attempt to deny the past: the speaker says they will face themselves, suggesting that change begins with honest self-examination.

Several images express this wish for change. “Wash away” suggests cleansing guilt or seeking mercy, while “clean this slate” means making a fresh start. Yet the slate is cleaned “with the hands of uncertainty,” implying that the speaker does not know exactly how to repair the past or what the future will bring. “Cross out what I’ve become” suggests rejecting a former version of oneself, though it may also sound like wanting to erase part of one’s identity.

The lyrics leave open who should grant mercy: another person, a higher power, or the speaker themselves. The final promise to forgive may be the beginning of self-forgiveness, not proof that all harm has been undone. Starting again can mean accepting responsibility while refusing to remain trapped by past actions.