Sorrow

The lyrics portray a person overwhelmed by loss and fear. He dreams of a peaceful, green world, but wakes into a bleak present that feels empty and difficult to face. As the song develops, his sorrow becomes physical: he is frightened, unsteady, and unable to act when it matters. By the end, the speaker describes broken promises and a silence that seems more powerful than speech.

Several images contrast what has been lost with what remains. Green fields and rivers suggest peace or happiness, while smoke and a heavy, “leaden” sky make the present feel polluted and oppressive. Being “chained” to a departed world implies that memory keeps the man attached to a past he cannot return to. The river may represent time moving on: he speaks to it about lost love, but its dark flow offers no clear comfort.

The lyrics leave the source of the sorrow uncertain. The lost paradise might be a real past, an idealized memory, or something imagined in a dream; the man himself cannot tell. The river’s “silent replies” could feel like an invitation to accept change, or a warning about what lies ahead. Overall, the song suggests that grief can blur the difference between memory and hope, while broken trust makes the future seem threatening.