"Amberlit Morning" is a song by Joan Shelley that speaks of the beauty and fragility of nature, and the cyclical nature of life and death. The opening line sets the tone by describing the amber-lit morning, a time when the sun's rays are softer and warmer, and the scent of clover fills the air, signaling the arrival of spring. The song's title and ambiance invite listeners to imagine a scene that is bathed in the warm light of dawn. The first verse describes Antigone retreating in the snow, which could refer to the Greek tragedy of the same name or to any woman's struggles in life. The second verse speaks of the dreams of the fruit that come with the arrival of spring. A boy with an axe across the brook leads the gardener to sow the tears, assuring him not to cry because even headless geese can fly, an analogy of how nature prevails through hardship. The chorus emphasizes the inevitability of death. When having's done, death hands it over to the quickening stalk, the virgined shoot, and the outgrowned shoe. The imagery here refers to the circle of life, where new growth comes from old life that has ended. Every child sees this cycle and knows it, and Shelley recalls seeing it all when she was a child. The bridge speaks of a dance shared between two people, offering a moment of comfort and connection in a world that can feel overwhelming. Shelley sings of feeling a tremor in the mountain and having no place to cling to save each other. The song ends with the cows, representing vanity and pride, and the acknowledgment that it takes a lot to be human. Shelley apologizes and thanks the universe for its beauty and cycle of life and death. The song's message is that although we are all subject to death, the beauty and hope of nature continue on, and our connections with each other can give us strength and comfort.
