If Only I Could Wait Lyrics Meaning by Bon Iver
If only I could wait
If only I could wait
The narrator wishes they could wait, but they feel like they’re running out of time and can’t pause the inevitable.
If only I could wait
But before me is a ways out
Can I live inside this state?
Where the summers are charades now
Can I incur the weight?
Am I really this afraid now?
The narrator feels stuck and uncertain, asking if they can live in this state of confusion, where things once carefree now feel like a game, and they wonder if they can bear the burden of the situation.
Ah, ahh
For what’s at stake
Oh, babe
I’ll take the pain
They acknowledge the risks and stakes, but they are willing to endure the pain to move forward.
If only you could wait
I ain’t up at your pace yet
I take the steps to stage
And they hit me with the rays now
But if I could only pray
In the blaze of a northern bar
I’d bend another straight
We’ll decay in other ways now
The narrator is behind in their journey and feels the weight of expectations. They wish they could pray for guidance, but things are decaying and changing in ways they cannot control.
If only you could wait (I, I know that it’s hard)
Or is it folded either way now? (To keep holding)
The common leads away (Keep holding strong)
But is it only years away now? (Keep holding on)
I have come to learn replace (I, I know that it’s best)
And I resemble other traits of the lord (To keep going)
I have rendered other fates (These memories hold)
And I’ve been prowling on the brakes now (These memories fade)
The narrator reflects on the difficulty of waiting and holding on. They’ve learned to replace things and have been shaped by experiences, but they’re now struggling with fading memories and a loss of direction.
Ah, ahh
But what a taste
Oh, babe
In every way
Not for the freight
I’ll best alone
In high ways
Mm-hmm-mm
They reflect on the bittersweet nature of their journey, recognizing the taste of experience. Despite everything, they feel that they are best left alone as they continue down their path.