We're doing an interpretive essay in my Eng/Lit class, and I'm supposed find a focus on the poem of my choice. We were given the option of using song lyrics for this project, and I chose Downfall by TRUSTcompany. Here are the lyrics:

Fear in me so deep it gets the best of me,
In the fear I fall, here it comes face to face with me,
Here I stand hold back so no one can see,
I feel these wounds, step down, step down,
step down.

(am I) Breaking Down
Can I break away
Push me away, make me fall,
Just to see, another side of me,
Push me away, you can see,
what I see, the other side of me.

Fall back on me, and I’ll be the strength I need,
to save me now, just come face to face with me,
stay in place you'll be the first to see, me heal these wounds,
step down, step down, step down, down

I’m not breaking, down
can I break away
push me away, make me fall,
just to see another side of me,
push me away you can see,
what I see, the other side of me

Go!

Fall, can I break away
push me away, make me fall,
just to see another side of me,
push me away you can see,
what I see, the other side of me

No one can see anything on the other side of me
I walk, I crawl, losing everything and waiting for the downfall
No one can see everything on the other side of me
I walk, I crawl losing everything on the downfall.
Downfall, Fall.

All I need is the basic theme, here's what I've got:

The speaker deems himself incapable of accomplishment. If someone else uses this against him, they'll push him until he breaks. But if they use it to help him, he can overcome it.

What are your thoughts?

[ 10-05-2003, 10:16 PM: Message edited by: Nanobyte ]

Man has problems
Man bottles problems up
Problems bring man down

I see it as someone who feels he is incompetent of doing anything. He seeks help for it (he wants someone to tell him he is appreciated) but in the same time he pushes them away, not wanting to believe them.

I would also add that this is indeed a fearful person, driven by fear, dominated by fear who wants someone to know this and yet walks around as if he has got everything under control and no one is the wiser.