Meaning of "Song For A Windmill" by Alan Hull

"Song For A Windmill" can be interpreted as a reflection on the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The windmill, once a symbol of productivity and connection to nature, has been forsaken in favor of modernity and efficiency. The shift from agriculture to industrialization is symbolized by the miller leaving behind his traditional trade to work in a factory. The lyrics mourn the loss of a simpler way of life and the neglect of elements of the past that held value beyond their practical use. The windmill becomes a poignant representation of nostalgia and the price of progress, as its stillness echoes the fading echoes of a bygone era.

The repeated questions of "Who was it who turned you into stone?" and "Who let your wooden cog wheels rot?" suggest a sense of betrayal and abandonment, as if the windmill itself is accusing those who neglected it. The imagery of the windmill standing alone in a field, with only rats for company, evokes a sense of loneliness and isolation. Overall, "Song For A Windmill" serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving history and honoring the connections to the past that shaped the present.