The Desolation of Loss in Steven Wilson's 'Postcard'

Steven Wilson's song 'Postcard' delves deep into the emotional turmoil and desolation that follows a significant loss. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a person who is struggling to find meaning and purpose after a devastating event, likely the end of a relationship. The opening lines, 'I think it's time that I got off the kitchen floor / But is there really any point at all?' immediately set a tone of hopelessness and despair. The protagonist is so overwhelmed by their grief that even the simplest tasks seem insurmountable.

The imagery of blocking windows and locking doors suggests a desire to shut out the world and retreat into isolation. This is further emphasized by the lines, 'Now I haven't even got the will to eat / I'm lame and self-obsessed / That I will concede.' The protagonist acknowledges their own self-destructive behavior but feels powerless to change it. The mention of mundane life and the inability to light a cigarette due to the gas being cut off symbolizes a life that has lost its spark and vitality.

The chorus, 'I'm the one you always seem to read about / The fire inside my eyes has long gone out,' encapsulates the sense of being a tragic figure, someone whose inner light has been extinguished by loss. The final lines, 'There's nothing left for me to say or do / 'Cause all that matters disappeared when I lost you,' drive home the central theme of the song: the profound emptiness and lack of direction that comes from losing someone who was the center of one's world. Steven Wilson's poignant lyrics and melancholic tone make 'Postcard' a powerful exploration of grief and the struggle to move forward in its aftermath.

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  1. Perfect Life
  2. Pariah (feat. Ninet Tayeb)
  3. Harmony Korine
  4. The Same Asylum As Before
  5. The Unquiet Grave
  6. Permanating
  7. Veneno Para Las Hadas
  8. To The Bone
  9. Postcard
  10. Song Of Unborn
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