Valence Lyrics

As his hands threw the net,
His mind drifted away.
Fragments of voices, faces, words – yet
Each, having passed, was like a dream,

Leaving echoes that brought others to life.
A churning current carried him along,
And barely noticing them writhe,
The man pulled the fish out one by one.

In the mountain's shade his shins grew numb.
As stung fingers drew the final net,
Within the lake, he heard a hum
And saw colours dance beyond the shoals.

Its form seemed without boundary.
Its message without words.
Yet it whispered of his glory,
And endless joys to hold.

If only you could reach me,
The others would admire.
If only you could grasp me,
The struggle would expire.

Without heed; without a doubt,
He slogged into the lake's expanse.
Resisting as he waded out,
The water grew around him.

But all those steps would lead to nowhere –
His motion masked futility.
For all the effort he could bear,
That thing would come no closer.

The zeal drained into regret,
Had he been down this path before?
Each time, it seemed, he would forget,
That it would never resolve.

So, giving up, he turned away,
But once again would find,
That each and every move he made
Would simply bind him tighter.

Recursion without resolution,
Purpose to justify itself.
Boundless striving, fear and passion –
To end in nothing, as it started.

Perception collapsed around the shore,
Where he could not believe –
A fisherman, once lost in thought,
Was staring back, and through, him.

And as the man came ever nearer,
Both entangled; one aware,
He mouthed a warning none could hear,
And sank into the silt.