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.