Could somebody explain this poem to me?

[killen001]

Hello!
I am wondering what this poem/lyric means. It contains many expressions that I am not familiar with (ie sentences where I know the individual words but don't understand what they mean in the context), and googling the phrases I was wondering about didn't return much. I mean, they obviously have a literal meaning, but within the context of the poem it becomes confusing.
If somebody could take their time and explain especially the highlighted parts but also what they think is the meaning of the entire poem, I would appreciate it a lot. I've been thinking about it since I first read it and I can't get it out of my head until I know for sure what the meaning of it is!

Flowers on the Razorwire

Neck deep we wallow and this floor catches lingering feet
By rope with heartbreak this is our happiest moment of all
We dream of flowers on the razorwire
and wake to the scent of our dead
We're sinking
And all of those times don't matter here
Remember my love
this is for the sinking and the strength of our wings
Be brave and bleed out the day
We left our body for the sky and ended up here
Listen to me, don't let them list your feet
Our love is real

 

[Jay Louise]

Hello!
I am wondering what this poem/lyric means. It contains many expressions that I am not familiar with (ie sentences where I know the individual words but don't understand what they mean in the context), and googling the phrases I was wondering about didn't return much. I mean, they obviously have a literal meaning, but within the context of the poem it becomes confusing.
If somebody could take their time and explain especially the highlighted parts but also what they think is the meaning of the entire poem, I would appreciate it a lot. I've been thinking about it since I first read it and I can't get it out of my head until I know for sure what the meaning of it is!

Flowers on the Razorwire

Neck deep we wallow and this floor catches lingering feet
By rope with heartbreak this is our happiest moment of all
We dream of flowers on the razorwire
and wake to the scent of our dead
We're sinking
And all of those times don't matter here
Remember my love
this is for the sinking and the strength of our wings
Be brave and bleed out the day
We left our body for the sky and ended up here
Listen to me, don't let them list your feet
Our love is real

Interesting poem.
1. We have the references to water. Neck deep we wallow refers to being in deep water, up to your neck. Wallowing is when you are having difficulty moving through water or maybe mud, basically you are stuck. People who wallow in their misery are also stuck. Then it mentions sinking twice and when a boat is listing it is leaning to the side and in danger of sinking. But "list your feet"?

2. There seems to be a number of references to death. Razorwire is very sharp and deadly. We dream of something beautiful and delicate on something deadly and wake to the scent of our dead. Bleeding out is dying by losing all of your blood so "bleeding out the day" is to drain the day of all its life. We left our body for the sky makes me think of dying and the souls ascending. I can't figure out how that ties into "don't let them list your feet".

3. I wonder if there is a meaning for "list" that somehow involves binding or tying. Then it might fit in with the "this floor catches lingering feet
By rope with heartbreak" earlier. Makes me think of being snagged or tangled.

Overall, the poem makes me think of the process of dying. Our bodies sink, our soul rise and we bravely let the life drain out of the day. The floor (earthly life) might catch us with heartbreak and we might linger or wallow, but the release of death is the happiest moment of all. We dream of loved ones who died before us (flowers on razorwire) and wake to their scent. The body sinks into the earth and the strength of our wings raises our souls. Be brave and let life drain out.
The "don't let them list your feet" doesn't make any sense for me unless it refers somehow refers to them being caught or pulled or bound in some way.

 

[killen001]

Thanks for your reply!

From what you've said and from how the poem is performed by it's author (the poem serves as the base for the lyrics in a song) I've got some ideas. In the song, many "our"s have been replaced with "me" or "I" and so on, almost like the poem is descirbing an earlier experience and the song is performed like an afterwards experience. It makes me think it might be about a relationship. Before it was "their" experience, now he is alone and he refers to it as "his". Not everything is intelligible but the lyrics are performed something like this (I've bolded changed/added words):

Neck deep in my love this floor catches my lingering feet
By the heartbreak this is my happiest moment of all
I left my body for the sky
[unintelligible]
Withering flowers on the razorwire
and the scent of the dead
[We sank?]
And all of those times don't matter here
[unintelligible]
Remember, love
This is for the sinking and the strength of the wings

I left my body for the sky and ended up here
Bleed out the day, be brave

[The times are dying?]

The way it's performed and it's original meaning might not be related at all but it's an idea.

I am thinking about the sinking part as well. Could it refer to sinking not as in water but out of the air? "We left our body for the sky and ended up here" and "we're sinking" and especially "This is for the sinking and the strength ouf or wings". Perhaps that might aid in interpreting the poem.

3. I wonder if there is a meaning for "list" that somehow involves binding or tying. Then it might fit in with the "this floor catches lingering feet
By rope with heartbreak" earlier. Makes me think of being snagged or tangled.

I've been wondering about that as well. Perhaps someone else on the forums knows?

Overall, the poem makes me think of the process of dying. Our bodies sink, our soul rise and we bravely let the life drain out of the day. The floor (earthly life) might catch us with heartbreak and we might linger or wallow, but the release of death is the happiest moment of all. We dream of loved ones who died before us (flowers on razorwire) and wake to their scent. The body sinks into the earth and the strength of our wings raises our souls. Be brave and let life drain out.

How do you think this ties into the references to love such as "Our love is real" and "Remember my love / this is for the sinking and the strength of our wings"? It seems like he is talking to somebody specifically in both this sentences and others "Listen to me...".

Again, thanks for your reply, it is much appreciated. This is annoying me immensely since I for some reason can't stop trying to think about different meanings this might have!