"Valence" lyrics

As his hands threw the net
His mind drifted away
Fragments of voices, faces, words
Yet each, having passed, was like a dream

Leaving echoes that brought others to life
A churning current carried him along
And barely noticing them writhe
The man pulled the fish out one by one

In the mountain's shade his shins grew numb
As stung fingers drew the final net
Within the lake, he heard a hum
And saw colours dance beyond the shoals

Its form seemed without boundary
Its message without words
Yet it whispered of his glory
And endless joys to hold

If only you could reach me
The others would admire
If only you could grasp me
The struggle would expire

Without heed without a doubt
He slogged into the lake's expanse
Resisting as he waded out
The water grew around him

But all those steps would lead to nowhere
His motion masked futility
For all the effort he could bear
That thing would come no closer
His motion masked futility
For all the effort he could bear

Its form seemed without boundary
Its message without words
Yet it whispered of his glory
And endless joys to hold

The zeal drained into regret
Had he been down this path before?
Each time, it seemed, he would forget
That it would never resolve

So, giving up, he turned away
But once again would find
That each and every move he made
Would simply bind him tighter

But all those steps would lead to nowhere
His motion masked futility
For all the effort he could bear
That thing would come no closer
For all the effort he could bear

Recursion without resolution
Purpose to justify itself
Boundless striving, fear and passion
To end in nothing, as it started

Perception collapsed around the shore
Where he could not believe
A fisherman, once lost in thought
Was staring back, and through, him

And as the man came ever nearer
Both entangled one aware
He mouthed a warning none could hear
And sank into the silt