Meaning of "When I Take Out the Garbage at Night" by Mount Eerie

The lyrics of "When I Take Out the Garbage at Night" convey a sense of duality and juxtaposition between the beauty of the natural world and the harsh reality of loss. The act of taking out the garbage becomes a symbol of routine and mundane tasks that continue despite the profound grief the singer feels. The contrast between the external world filled with lightning and thunder and the internal world of the empty room where their loved one passed away highlights the struggle to reconcile everyday life with the weight of loss. The refusal to close the window symbolizes a desire to keep a connection open, to hold onto memories and the hope that something may still need to leave. The final image of seeing the loved one's face in the dark rectangle reflects the haunting presence of their absence, with all past moments condensed into a single overwhelming emotion. Overall, the lyrics capture the complex feelings of longing, grief, and the bittersweet nature of memory that permeate the singer's experience of loss.