(verse)
The river burst its banks, and made an island of me
A fall of rain mistaken for the coming of the sea
As floating gardens flourish, where there once were forest trees
So we're all stretching up on tip toes, for the surface, trying to breathe
Will ice caps melt and cover us in snow four fathoms deep? Winter come to keep me warm, while i lay down to sleep
Rusty rain to hide my face, give me some relief
My hands are parting, cloudy, in a sky of disbelief
(chorus)
Is a rose by any other name still a rose?
If you go by any other name, will i still know you?
(verse)
If to be human is to falter what can perfect ever mean?
Some nascent thing that man won't give the time or space to breathe
An image of an idea of some insubstantial thing
No search for grandeur in the kitchen when the plates went clattering
Just disapproval, wringing hands, shrug off those childhood things
Is the blackbird still a blackbird if you cannot hear it sing?
Will they wake me once again at dead of night all chattering
Or leave me like a bear to sleep the long days til the spring?
(chorus)
Is a rose by any other name still a rose?
If you go by any other name, will i still know you?
(middle 8)
Did you hear the word?
In the beginning there was nothing more
Did you hear the word?
Still echoing on and on
(chorus reprise)
Is a rose by any other name still a rose?
If you go by any other name, will i still know you?
If you go ahead and change your face, will i still know you?
I could go and f** up everything, but I still know you