I Was Buried In Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Woods of Ypres' song 'I Was Buried In Mount Pleasant Cemetery' is a poignant exploration of mortality, loss, and the passage of time. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the narrator's burial in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, a real cemetery in Toronto, Canada. The song opens with the stark imagery of being buried alone and without ceremony, setting a somber tone that permeates the entire piece. This sense of isolation and abruptness in death is a central theme, reflecting the sudden and unceremonious nature of the narrator's demise.

The song delves deeper into the narrator's emotional state, describing the overwhelming sadness of leaving behind a life that was once full and green, symbolized by the tree. The sun's harshness and the inability to find peace in sleep suggest a restless soul, seeking relief through disappearance. This metaphorical language underscores the narrator's struggle with the finality of death and the desire for escape from the pain of existence.

As the song progresses, the narrator recounts visiting the graves of notable figures such as Glenn Gould and Alexander Muir, adding a layer of historical and cultural context. These visits highlight the narrator's connection to the past and the continuity of life and death. The mention of being fitted for a suit and lying in a box juxtaposes the formality of life with the stark reality of death. The imagery of spring and summer seasons passing signifies the relentless march of time, culminating in the narrator's remains being stolen and never recovered, symbolizing a loss of identity and finality.

In the concluding verses, the song shifts to a more reflective tone, suggesting that amidst the monuments and trees of the cemetery, new life can begin. This juxtaposition of death and rebirth offers a glimmer of hope, indicating that the end of one path can lead to the beginning of another. The cemetery, situated at the heart of the city, becomes a place where the past and present converge, allowing for a contemplative meditation on the cycles of life and death.