Holocene

I believe something needs to be said about the poetics of Bon Iver. His lyrics always seem so bizarre, and it may be quite pointless to try to decode them. And I don’t think that’s the point. The sonic resonance of these lyrics is utterly beautiful regardless of meaning. Then every once in a while, a line will stand out and attach itself to your soul. I’m referring in this case to “Holocene”, which is perhaps the most beautiful song I’ve heard in a long time:

“Someway, baby, it's part of me, apart from me.”

You're laying waste to Halloween

You fucked it friend, it's on it's head, it struck the street

You're in Milwaukee, off your feet

And at once I knew I was not magnificent

Strayed above the highway aisle

Jagged vacance, thick with ice

I could see for miles, miles, miles

3rd and Lake it burnt away, the hallway

Was where we learned to celebrate

Automatic bought the years you'd talk for me

That night you played me “Lip Parade”

Not the needle, nor the thread, the lost decree

Saying nothing, that's enough for me

And at once I knew I was not magnificent

Hulled far from the highway aisle

Jagged, vacance, thick with ice

I could see for miles, miles, miles

Christmas night, it clutched the light, the hallow bright

Above my brother, I and tangled spines

We smoked the screen to make it what it was to be

Now to know it in my memory:

And at once I knew I was not magnificent

High above the highway aisle

Jagged vacance, thick with ice

I could see for miles, miles, miles

Please just sit and let that resonate for a while. I doesn’t matter what it means, and in fact, it could simultaneously mean several different things. But sometimes all we need is a little bit of beauty in our lives. “And at once I knew I was not magnificent…”