"How Can You Live in the Northeast" at the very end, Simon is being autobiographical: "I've been given all I've wanted / Only 3 generations off the boat / I've harvested and I have planted / I'm wearing my father's olc coat." That's not all he's got from his father. He's got his name and maybe his religion ("Name and religion come right after date of birth.") One answer to "How can you live in the Northeast?" is "I was born here."
"Everything About It Is a Love Song" - focusing on theme of regret.
"I Don't Believe" is partly about faith, or the lack thereof. That's what the bit about the broker is focused on: "He hoped that my faith was not shaken." And that ties neatly to the title. This doesn't explain, "My children are laughing / Not a whisper of care...." Where that fits, I ain't got a clue. And the "Maybe's the exit..."?
"That's Me" may be literally autobiographical. Bought a biography online. Will read it when it arrives, and then will know.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
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My take on "My children are laughing, not a whisper of care/My love is brushing her long chestnut hair": the speaker has received the bad news from his broker. This is disaster; the family's means of support are apparently wiped out, yet only the speaker knows, not his wife and children who are serenely oblivious. "Oh, guardian angel, don't taunt me like this": it's a beautiful evening, I'm surrounded by my lovely family, yet this disaster comes via the broker's phone call. Perhaps the taunt is that the disaster call turns out to be a false alarm, although I'm bothered by the placement of the "guardian angel taunt line." Maybe the guardian angel's taunt is that "you, the speaker, are home "on a clear summer evening" surrounded by your peaceful family; you might think that all is well, but here's how tenuous and fragile your life is." Then comes the call from his broker.
As to "Maybe and maybe and maybe some more. Maybe's the exit that I'm looking for": the speaker is searching for certainties; here he is entertaining the possibility that a faith that involves uncertainty may be the ticket, that somehow he must come to grips with a universe that is ultimately uncertain. I don't know if that's right, but I have the impression the speaker here is only considering this: "Maybe and maybe and maybe some more. Maybe's the exit that I'm searching for." Maybe.
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