Tribulations

The lyrics portray a tense, unstable relationship in which both people make mistakes and frustrate each other. Waiting becomes part of their back-and-forth, yet the speaker also says that the situation feels acceptable as long as something is happening. The repeated lines suggest a cycle: conflict, collapse, and renewed contact, without a clear resolution.

“Come undone” means to lose control or fall apart; here, it may describe a person or a relationship breaking down. The image of fighting “like a fire” suggests that resistance can be fierce and difficult to stop. The refrain about getting “payments from the nation” for “trials and tribulations” sounds like a deliberately odd comparison between personal suffering and compensation, perhaps hinting at a wish to be rewarded for enduring hardship.

The song’s tone is restless and somewhat ironic. The speaker recognizes that everyone makes mistakes, but feels that their own errors are the ones that keep hurting or being remembered. It is unclear whether the refrain is meant as a serious complaint, a joke, or a broader comment on expecting compensation for hardship. That uncertainty fits lyrics that repeat phrases more than they explain the relationship.