Reflecting Light
-Sam Phillips

Now that I've worn out, I've worn out the world
I'm on my knees in fascination
Looking through the night
And the moons never seen me before
But I'm reflecting light

I wrote the pain down
Got off and looked up
Looked into your eyes
The lost open windows
All around
My dark heart lit up the skies

And now that I've worn, I've worn out the world
I'm on my knees in fascination
Looking through the night
And the moons never seen me before
But I'm reflecting light

Give up the ground
Under your feet
Hold on to nothing for good
Turn and run at the mean times
Chasing you
Stand alone and misunderstood

And now that I've worn, I've worn out the world
I'm on my knees in fascination
Looking through the night
And the moons never seen me before
But I'm reflecting light

I think that this is a beautiful love poem. I especially love the repetition of "worn out the world." It says so much in so few words. I also love the juxtaposition of how the moon's never seen me before but I'm reflecting light--the moon is what reflects light to earth--and this image is just lovely.

I find the line "On my knees in fascination" surprising. Being on ones knees does seem to work with the overall image of being so fascinated you can't move or have to bend to inspect further. I wonder in this sense if it is being brought to your knees (with fascination)? I also like the surprise of the stanza that starts "give up the ground" since it breaks from the romanticised tones of the poem. Is the hold on to nothing for good about not holding on to love? Or is this a reference to life and death? "Stand alone misunderstood" is also a striking line for the image it conjures. If this stanza is about how the speaker has lived, and has also worn out the world, it makes sense that the discovery of something sweet and new could bring her to her knees in fascination. I also liked the linking of how her dark heart lit up the skies--like the moon! Every time I read this poem I am trying to figure out WHO is the moon--the object of her love, her heart, or her, or all of the above!