The King Beetle on the Coconut Estate (MewithoutYou)

As the moon rose and the hour grew late
The day held on the coconut estate
Raked up the dry leaves that fell dead from the trees
Which they burned in a pile by the lake

The beetle king summoned his men
And from the top, of the rhododendron stem.
Calling all volunteers, who can carry it back here
The great mystery's been lit once again.

One beetle emerged from the crowd
In a fashionable abdomen shroud
Said "I'm a professor you see
That's no mystery to me
I'll be back soon successful and proud"

But when the beetle professor returned
He crawled on all six
As his wings had been burned
And described to the finest detail all he'd learned
There was neither a light
Nor a heat, in his words.

The deeply dissatisfied king
Climbed the same stem to announce the same thing
But in his second appeal
Sought to sweeten the deal
With a silver padparadscha ring.

The lieutenant stepped out from the line
As he lassoed his thorax with twine
Thinkin "I'm stronger and braver
And I'll earn the kings favor
One day all he has will be mine!"

But for all the lieutenant's conceit
He too returned singed
And admitting defeat
"I had no choice
Please believe but retreat
It was bright as the sun
But with ten times the heat
And It cracked like the thunder
And bloodshot my eyes
Though smothered with sticks
It advanced undeterred
[ MewithoutYou Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
Carelessly cast an ash cloud into the sky
My lord, like a flock of dark retching birds."

The beetle king slammed down his fist
"Your flowery descriptions no better than his!
We sent for the great light and you bring us this?
We didn't ask what It seems like
We asked what it is."

His majesty's hour at last has drawn nigh
The elegant queen took her leave from his side
Without understandin but without askin why
Gathered their kids to bid their goodbyes

And the father explained
"You've been some what deceived
We've all called me 'Your dad'
But your true dads not me
I lay next to your mom
And your forms were conceived
Your Fathers the light within all that ya see
He fills up the ponds, as he empties the clouds
Holds without hands, and he speaks without sounds
Provides us with the cows' waste and coconuts to eat
Giving one that nice salt taste
And the other it's sweet
Sends the black carriage the day death shows its face
Bidding our numbers with kindness and grace
And just as the flower and its fragrance are one
So must be to you and your Father become

Now distribute my scepter
My crown and my throne
And all we've known as wealth to the poor and alone
Without further hesitation
Without looking back home
The king flew headlong into the blazing unknown

And as the smoking hurled higher and higher
The troops flying loops round' the telephone wires
They said, "Our beloveds' not dead
But his highness instead
Has been utterly changed into fire."

Why not be utterly changed into fire? (x8)

Commentary-

This is a song from the band MewithoutYou. Aaron Weiss (the lead singer) is an indepth thinker as well as a great philosopher. The interpretation of the song is quite complex and a little bit confusing to me. The story goes on to talk about a "King" beetle who lives in a coconut tree, when suddenly the tree catches on fire and the king, not ever seeing fire before, send out his men to go and come back to tell him what the fire "IS". Each beetle comes back a changed insect and not able to tell what the "light" is...just what the encounter with the light has done to them. After two of his men come back the king throws down his fist and says that he will tell them what the fire is...and he flies directly into the fire becoming one with it.

Another perception I would like to point out in the song is that the beetles, once they encountered the fire, changed. Before they left the King Beetle they were very arrogant and thought they would someday have all the king's wealth but when they returned they were transformed and changed. Somewhat showing that when you interact with God you begin the journey of humbling yourself. Your pride is crippled and your arrogance is crushed. Instead you discover a new meaning of love, one of sacrifice and desire for others.

Another thought that was interesting to me was that at the end,of the song, the king did not give his wealth to any one in particular but said.

"Now distribute my scepter

My crown and my throne

And all we've known as wealth to the poor and alone"