The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Ein Lächeln Lang" by the artist "Weto"

The poem "Ein Lächeln Lang" ("For the Length of a Smile") by Weto metaphorically describes a farewell to the past, possibly to a love that has left behind both bright memories and painful scars.

In the very first lines, the lyrical hero turns around to take one last look at the past, symbolized by the image of his beloved's face. The "blue butterfly," gently dimming the light, may signify fading beauty and the ephemerality of the moment, while the image of a "small window" with "sad icy patterns" hints that the relationship was marred by coldness and misunderstandings. The "pearl" flowing down is a metaphor for a tear, a bitter farewell.

The smile, flashing "like lightning," symbolizes a brief moment of happiness that was part of the relationship. This moment is the only thing the hero allows himself to take with him. He understands that the past cannot be returned, and he decides to move on, proclaiming his freedom.

However, despite his determination to move forward, the hero still cannot fully free himself from the memories. He breathes them, feels their wintery scent. Broken shards, a broken bridge, a falling petal – all these are images of ruined love, a dream that "will never return."

The repetition of the lines about the "smile-lightning" and freedom emphasizes the duality of the hero's emotions: on the one hand – relief from liberation, on the other – sadness about lost love.