An analysis of my lyrics for ~Rose of May~

*note* A lot of people have asked me to explain the lyrics of this song and others ^w^ I'd love to do this in the info boxes of my song's postings on youtube, but there is very little room >w<; so I'm posting a detailed analysis of the lyrics here! I hope you enjoy it!
(link to the song on youtube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNHtbw4Kyf0

Rose of May~

vs 1)
Her heart underneath
cries quietly
This part of me
I choose not to see

*this is pretty self explanatory, stating the basic fact that Beatrix lives within a shell of herself, not showing her true feelings, pushing them away from herself even, in order to be a better knight.

vs 2)
what lives must I take
for fealty's sake?
How much blood must stain
this warrior's blade?

*she wonders how far her queen will go before her wishes are satisfied, she wants to trust her queen, she wants to believe that her actions and orders will only bring about good, but she begins to doubt....

~Chorus 1)

War leaves its trail in moonlight so pale

*Here I've used a basic and ancient metaphor for femininity. (the moon) I'm trying to convey that war leaves its mark not only on the land and on its people, but also on the knight herself, slowly taking away her innocence and youth as she witnesses and takes part in warfare.

It's shadows they flow, in rivers in rivers

* the resulting blood flows in rivers, it's resulting pain, heartache, and loss flow also

So put on my mask, I'll go where they ask

*She puts on her 'mask' which she hides her true feelings (she might have been trained to think of them as weakness) and goes where her duty to her queen dictates.

So I might once again see the roses of May

*She wants to believe these duties will bring about a time of peace for her kingdom, and maybe that peace will forgive her actions and make everything she did okay. I use roses of may as a metaphor for innocence, peace, and happiness.

Staining my hands and stinging my eyes, the blood on my hands won't wash away, wash away

*No matter how she frames her mind, she feels great guilt and remorse, when she realizes that she has participated in such a great misdeed. I imagine she felt this way especially after the Burmecia and Cleyra massacres which prompts her to apologize to Freya later in the game.

No where to run from what I have done, I'm no longer, no longer a Rose of May

* She realizes that she has not acted in the greater good. Her honor as a knight is forfeit, and she feels her innocence and youth are truly gone.

~Chorus 2)

fate holds the blade before you, mirrored in maiden's eyes
far from myself I fly into the perilous skies

*fealty dictates that her will is not her own. It is easy to say her actions are in the hands of fate.
all of this mirrored in the 'eyes' of Beatrix's inner self, which I imagine stays soft and empathic like it was before she became a soldier. Also trying to convey a picture of Beatrix's first years as a soldier.

and they said follow the blade before before you
fear fall and courage rise
leave all your tears behind you
far from where innocence lies

*here trying to convey a picture of Beatrix's first years as a soldier, and the hardening of spirit that her mentors tried to implement on her. I imagine she did not harden her spirit, but she did develop her 'mask'

vs 3)
Cage of the kings
No need for wings
so turn them to stone
from roses to bone

*cage of the kings, here meaning fealty. This verse has kind of a resigned quality. Maybe these realizations turned her into the fearsome character that we meet in the game for the first time.
Basically, since she has no freedom of emotion or will as a knight, she says, I'll kill that part of myself, I'll turn that part of myself to stone since it is not needed, it is only a hindrance.

vs 4)
When you look at me
What do you see?
this costume I weave
disfiguring me.

*and it is an effective 'costume'. We are convinced the Beatrix is evil for most of the beginning of the game.

~Chorus 2)

Storm clouds are creeping closer
Danger is drawing near
why am I not protecting all I hold dear?

This part highlights that very important part of the game where Beatrix turns her back to her Queen and starts protecting Princess Garnet instead. At the height of losing everything, Beatrix lets her true self direct her actions. Princess Garnet is now the "Alexandria" she needs to protect. She is redeemed by this!

and you said 'break free from all that holds you
kings hand and maiden's tear
run now into my arms
together we'll conquer our fears'

*It is not clear whether the phrase between the apostrophes is Steiner's words or Beatrix's inner self. I'd like you to make up your own mind. It could be either ^_^

Vs 5)

Led here by fate
no longer afraid
so here now I lay
my roses of May

*at the end of the game. I believe Beatrix has found her honor, and come to peace with her inner self, restoring Alexandria and playing her part in the peace of the world. She accepts the blood that stains her hands will never go away, she lays her lost innocence to rest, and she begins her knighthood again, with more experienced eyes, the mask removed....


~katethegreat19 ^0^