Agonia - Hilzoria

Mikel Laboa's song 'Agonia - Hilzoria' is a poignant exploration of despair and resignation, expressed through vivid and evocative imagery. The lyrics, written in Italian, paint a picture of creatures succumbing to their fates, symbolizing the human condition and the inevitability of suffering. The opening lines, 'Morire come le allodole assetate sul miraggio' (To die like larks thirsty on the mirage), suggest a futile pursuit of unattainable dreams, leading to an inevitable demise. This metaphor highlights the tragic beauty of striving for something beyond reach, only to be met with disappointment and death.

The song continues with the imagery of a quail that, after crossing the sea, finds itself in the first bushes, too exhausted to fly any further. 'O coma la quaglia passato il mare nei primi cespugli perché di volare non ha più voglia' (Or like the quail, after crossing the sea, in the first bushes because it no longer wants to fly). This represents a sense of weariness and the loss of will to continue, a powerful metaphor for the emotional and physical exhaustion that can accompany life's struggles. The quail's journey mirrors the human experience of overcoming significant obstacles, only to find oneself too tired to continue.

However, Laboa's lyrics also offer a glimmer of hope or a call to resilience. The final lines, 'Ma non vivere di lamento come un cardellino accecato' (But do not live in lament like a blinded goldfinch), urge the listener not to succumb to a life of constant complaint and despair. The blinded goldfinch symbolizes a state of helplessness and perpetual sorrow, and Laboa's message is a reminder to avoid falling into this trap. Instead, he encourages finding strength and purpose despite the hardships, suggesting that while suffering is inevitable, how one responds to it is a matter of choice.