That mirror tho

I'm reconsidering Suzanne's holding of the mirror, and my interpretation of that line since childhood.  The song says that Suzanne shows the enchanted poet where to look among the garbage and the flowers.  I now wonder if she holds the mirror toward him and/or where she's indicated he should look, so that the protagonist sees himself among the heroes in the seaweed and the children in the morning who are leaning out for love forever.  She's like "look at yourself, how beautiful you are, how heroic, this is how I see you."  Anything's possible.

"Everlong" has been in my head ever since I heard the unplugged version the other day.  Funny how a rock song can become so tender when done as a vulnerable ballad.  These lyrics just want to be savored that way: 

Hello, I've waited here for you

Everlong

And I wonder when I sing along with you

If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
 

The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when

Breathe out, so I can breathe you in


I mean, when you sing "Everlong" gently with just an acoustic guitar and let the language speak in a way that's not drowned out by crashing cymbals and driving rhythms, it becomes everso what it wants to be.  In my opinion.