Until — Summary

I love enough until it turns cold I hate enough until the fire burn bold I care enough till the trust is gone I feel sorry until I see it's wrong I'm gone, hidden in the shade ( you can't see me ) I'm gone, until you forget my name ( i hope ) then I'm gone ( hidden in a song ) then I'm gone ( I'll be hiding behind the song ) I care, till the well runs dry I cried, until my eye's ran dry I held on, till my grip was gone I called your name, till i was deaf and dumb Now I'm just gone, hidden in the shade ( you can't see me ) I'm gone, until I forget your name ( i hope ) then I'll be gone ( hidden in a song ) then I'll just be gone ( I'll be hiding behind the song ) I loved, till it turned to hate I fumed, till I lost the flames I shouted, till I had no voice I left, when I had no choice I was gone, hidden in the the shade ( you can't see me ) I'm gone, till I forget your name ( i hope ) then I'll be gone ( hidden in a song ) then I'll just be gone ( I'll be hiding behind the song ) just to see you cry I'm not even sure why maybe I'll see the pain that you saw in me every day then I'll just hide, in the shade ( you can't see me ) I'll be gone, till I forget your name ( i hope ) then I'll be gone ( hidden in a song ) then I'll just be gone ( I'll be hiding behind the song ) Is that what you had for me unending pain and misery I tell myself I'll heal but there is no memory repeal I'll just hide in the shade ( you can't see me ) I'll eventually forget your name ( i hope ) Then I'll just be gone ( hidden in a song ) then I'll be glad I'm gone ( I'll be hiding behind the song )

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The speaker is walking away from a relationship that ended in hurt, and "Until" is the word that holds the whole poem together. Every line sets a limit: love lasts until it turns cold, caring lasts until the trust is gone, crying lasts until the eyes run dry. Each feeling is spent completely, so the speaker has nothing left to give.

The repeated chorus is the heart of it. The speaker wants to be "gone," hidden in the shade and behind a song, unseen until they can forget the other person's name. The "( i hope )" in brackets sounds quietly honest. The speaker isn't sure forgetting is possible. Near the end they ask whether this pain was all the other person ever had for them, and admit that healing is something they only tell themselves. The mood is tired, bitter and sad, with a small, uncertain wish to feel glad about leaving.

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