The Element Sonnets

These are the last tracks on each element's disc from The Alchemy Index by Thrice. These four songs are fire, water, air, and earth, personified- all ending with an original sonnet that sums up what that element is trying to tell mankind.

The Flame Deluge - Fire

Kings Upon the Main - Water

Silver Wings - Air

Child of Dust - Earth


The Flame Deluge

I feel that I was meant for something more,
My curse, this awful power to unmake.
And ever since you found your taste for war,
You've forced me onto those whose lives you'd take.

While Guernica in peaceful valley lay,
And Dresden dreamed of anything but death,
The day was turned to night, and night to day;
You let me loose upon their fragile flesh.

And so I hid among the smallest things;
You found me there and ferried me above.
The flame deluge is waiting in the wings;
The smallest thread holds back the second flood.

And who will stand to greet the blinding light;
it's lonely when there's no one left to fight.


Kings Upon the Main

This lesson you'd do well not to forget.
Your life could be the one its wisdom saves
At sea, when you're beleaguered and beset,
On every side by strife of wind and waves.

Despite the best of maps and bravest men,
For all their mighty names and massive forms,
There'll never be and there has never been
A ship or fleet secure against the storms.

When kings upon the main have clung to pride,
And held themselves as masters of the sea,
I've held them down beneath the crushing tide
Till they have learned that no one masters me.

But grace can still be found within the gales;
with fear and reverence, raise your ragged sail.


Silver Wings

From tender years you took me for granted
(But still I deigned to wander through your lungs)
While You were sleeping soundly in your bed
(Your drapes were silver wings, your shutter's flung)

I Drew the poison from the summer's sting
(And eased the fire out of your fevered skin)
I Moved in you and stirred your soul to sing
(And if you'd let me I would move again)

I've danced 'tween sunlit stands of lover's hair
(Helped formed the final words before you death)
I pitied you and piled your sails with air
(Gave blessing when you rose upon my breath)

And after all of this, I am amazed;
that I am cursed far more than I am praised.


Child of Dust

Dear prodigal, you are my son and I
Supplied you not your spirit, but your shape.
All Eden's wealth arrayed before your eyes;
I fathomed not you wanted to escape.

And though I only ever gave you love, like every child you’ve chosen to rebel;
uprooted flowers and filled the holes with blood;
ask for not whom they toll the solemn bells.

A child of dust to mother now return;
for every seed must die before it grows.
and though above the world may toil and turn,
no prying spade will find you here below.

Now safe beneath their wisdom and their feet;
here I will teach you truly how to sleep.


Here's what each is about:

Fire is ashamed of the way man has used it for destruction through war and violence. It tried to hide, but we found it again and used it against it's will. Deluge is another word for flood. "The Flame Flood". This is referring to nuclear weapons. "The blinding light" from the sonnet is probably hinting at the flash of light atomic bombs emit before exploding. It's like fire is telling man: sure, you won, you have gotten what you wanted. You have destroyed your enemy...now then. What's next? Who will you fight now? Now how do you go about satisfying your hunger for war? It's lonely when there's no one left to fight.

Water is teaching prideful people that no matter how prepared you think you are, you can never tame the awesome power of the ocean. In spite of all of our ships, technology, brave crews, and navigation, ultimately the sea is the higher power. The Titanic is a prime example of this concept. The ship that could not be sank, in fact, sank. Through catastrophe, water humbles man and teaches them a valuable lesson. But afterwards, in the final part, water challenges them to get back up and try again, but this time, with respect. With fear and reverence, raise your ragged sail.

Air is in disbelief at our utter unappreciation towards it. Air does so much for us, as mentioned in the song, but we deem it unimportant. Air has been disregarded from the beginning of time, yet it still feels compelled to do all it can for us. Sail our ships, allow us to live. May sound ridiculous, but if you think about it, what is more taken for granted than the very air we breathe? Nothing. This, like the other elements, can be interpreted as God as well. Many people take God for granted and all He does for us. Air finally says in the final line, after all I have done for you, this is the thanks I get? I am amazed by this.

Earth is disappointed in man's harmful ways towards the planet. Earth is basically saying that as powerful as we may think we are, death is inevitable. Very comparable to water's sonnet. Earth supplied us all we ever needed, Eden's wealth, and we wanted out. Earth tells man that it has done so much for us and yet we want more, destroy nature, and explore space as if we aren't satisfied with what we have already been given. We have uprooted flowers and replaced them with blood through reckless action. In the end, we are all just made of dust, and like the Bible says: from dust we begun, and to dust we can return. That's what I think Earth is trying to tell us in the song.

YouTube:

The Flame Deluge- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHEKGImcowk&feature=related

Kings Upon the Main- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3gTEf-bZfk&feature=related

Silver Wings- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKNdSIyfsJY&feature=related

Child of Dust- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_l59yZmqvs&feature=related

Four sonnets together- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-ZQw7GwhH0