Lyrics & Translation
Delve into the early, raw artistry of Florence + The Machine with the demo "Donkey Kosh." This song offers a unique opportunity to explore the power of metaphor in songwriting. By examining the symbolic weight of the "donkey" and the "jackal," you can gain a deeper understanding of how artists translate complex internal emotions into vivid lyrical imagery. It's a perfect example of the poetic and allegorical style that has become a hallmark of Florence Welch's songwriting.
[English]
With a donkey on my shoulderAnd a jackal on my back
I'll carry these, my children
Keep them safe from attack
The donkey makes it hard to dance
The jackal sings too loud
The donkey cries when it's alone
And the jackal is too proud
Little donkey is getting restless
Getting heavier as it grows
And the jackal, spoiled and spiteful
Keeps biting at my nose
I would have a lover
A husband and a child
But the donkey is too jealous
And the jackal is too wild
It's too wild
You ask me why I keep them
Why I love them so
Why they get away with murder
As they grow and grow and grow
I keep them 'cause I made them
They come from in my heart
With each mistake I make
Created and torn apart
And when it's time to feed them
Before they go to bed
I give them my confessions
Baked within their bread
Little donkey is getting restless
Getting heavier as it grows
And the jackal, spoiled and spiteful
Keeps biting at my nose
Little donkey is getting restless
Getting heavier as it grows
And the jackal, spoiled and spiteful
Keeps biting at my nose
Key Vocabulary
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Key Grammar Structures
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I'll carry these, my children
➔ Future simple with 'will' (contraction)
➔ The auxiliary verb "will" (contracted to "'ll") forms the future simple: "I'll" means "I will".
-
The donkey makes it hard to dance
➔ Causative verb pattern: make + object + adjective + infinitive
➔ The verb "makes" is followed by the object "it", the adjective "hard" and the infinitive "to dance".
-
The jackal sings too loud
➔ Adverb of degree "too" + adjective/adverb
➔ "Too" intensifies the adjective "loud", meaning "excessively loud".
-
Little donkey is getting restless
➔ Present continuous progressive (be + getting)
➔ "Is getting" shows an action that is in progress at the moment of speaking.
-
And the jackal, spoiled and spiteful, keeps biting at my nose
➔ Verb + gerund (keeps + biting)
➔ "Keeps" is followed by the gerund "biting", expressing a repeated or continuous action.
-
I would have a lover, a husband and a child
➔ Modal verb "would" for hypothetical desire
➔ "Would" is used to talk about something the speaker wishes for but does not have.
-
When it's time to feed them
➔ Temporal clause introduced by "when"
➔ "When" introduces a clause that specifies the moment something happens: "when it's time to feed them".
-
Why they get away with murder
➔ Indirect question with "why" + present simple
➔ "Why" introduces an indirect question; the verb stays in the present simple "get".
