Chronologically, this song takes place a couple of months after the knight embarks on his quest. He has been travelling along the road towards the Castle for quite a while when he takes some time to stop and reflect (“Take a moment’s time, look to the edge of everything that you have found”).
“Take this wondrous sight, see beauty dawning on the edge of the horizon.”
Looking around, he sees a couple of important images: the full moon in the night sky (an ancient Eastern symbol for love) and a blossoming rose by the side of the road (a well-known Western symbol for love). He then addresses the two objects before him in the second half of the verse: “I see far away a fragile flame hung in the sky (the moon, i.e. a love interest who is both “far away” and “fragile” [read: fleeting]).” He then combines the two symbols, calling the moon “a pale, cold flower in the night sky, planted among the stars and watered in the twilight.”
From this verse we see that our protagonist has basically encountered romantic infatuation for the first time. He understands that he can act on his interest (It’s in reach) but is unsure of (out of touch with) his feelings, hence the song title. A lot of the song deals with him learning to interact in a romantic capacity with an interest that is just on the fringe of his reach. It is a fleeting, delicate situation that feels like a game of cat-and-mouse to him. He is both frustrated/befuddled by it, but still drawn in. He notes, “But I chase it away; I move and it moves from me.” He also knows that the window of time in which he can act upon his feelings is limited (“A cold flame that will not stay, I have to catch it before the day”).
The song’s chorus reveals his thoughts on love/infatuation etc. “Run around til you find it, I hope this love wasn’t clouded by blindness…it’s bittersweet, a rose, a thorn, a choice I must make.” While he feels pretty anxious about making the correct decision before “sunrise” (the window of time closes and the moon vanishes) he also manages to keep some level-headed perspective about not “fading away” emotionally even if he makes the wrong decision and is scorned.
In the second verse, the knight reflects on the sort of loneliness his infatuation could fulfill. He has a world of opportunity and adventure in front of him, but still feels like something is missing, perhaps even accentuated by the fact that he has so much available to him (“Take in all this space, your kingdom reaches out as far as your eye can see…Take my thoughts in stride, a heart can be so free and filled that it is lonely”).
By the last verse, he is beginning to panic as he is watching the moon set/the rose wilt before he has made any action. He comments, “Time’s not on my side, can’t feel your warmth, where do you hide? The last rays of your light are fading, the path I’m following along is separating.” The song ends on the note that the path (there’s that road introduced in track 2 reemerging) before him is separating. He can either go down one fork and pursue his romantic interest, or he can choose the other split and continue down the path that leads to the Castle.
lyrics
Take a moment’s time
Look to the edge of everything that you have found
(It goes forever, and I could never, and I could never, and I could never)
Take this wondrous sight
See beauty dawning on the edge of the horizon
(And I could never, and I could never, and I could never, and I could never)
I see far away a Fragile flame hung in the sky
A pale cold flower in the night sky, It leads me on it pulls me in and now I’m chasing after the moon and chilling light the land is shaping
I see far away a Fragile flame hung in the sky
A pale cold flower in the night, planted among the stars and watered in the twilight, planted among the stars and watered in the twilight
But I chase it away
I move and it moves from me (in reach; out of touch)
A cold flame that will not stay
I have to catch it before the day
Run around, run around till you find it, I hope that this love isn’t clouded by blindness
And keep it down, keep it down in your heart now, but never let it fade
Don’t let it fade, let it fade, let it fade away
Keep pressing on, this love is strong but it may not stay
It’s bittersweet, a rose, a thorn, a choice I must make
Take in all this space
Your kingdom reaches out as far as your eye can see
It goes forever, and I could never, and I could never, and I could never
Take my thoughts in stride
A heart can be so free and filled that it is lonely
And I could never, and I could never, and I could never, and I could never
Run around, run around till you find it, I hope that this love isn’t clouded by blindness
And keep it down, keep it down in your heart now, but never let it fade
Don’t let it fade, let it fade, let it fade away
Keep pressing on, this love is strong but it may not stay
It’s bittersweet, a rose, a thorn, a choice I must make
Time's not on my side
Can't feel your warmth, where do you hide?
Where did you flee? I cannot find you
You spoke my name, you flew away, and left me confused
Please show your face to me again before the sunrise
Time's not on my side
Can't feel your warmth, where do you hide?
The last Rays of your light are fading
The path I'm following along is separating (The path I'm following along is separating)
Run around, run around till you find it, I hope that this love isn’t clouded by blindness
And keep it down, keep it down in your heart now, but never let it fade
Don’t let it fade, let it fade, let it fade away
Keep pressing on, this love is strong but it may not stay
It’s bittersweet, a rose, a thorn, a choice I must make
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