City Of Evil (2005) "Seize The Day"

[reprinted as written by Avenged Sevenfold]
A7X's official video

Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost
It's empty and cold without you here, too many people to ache over

I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time
But I'm too young to worry
These streets we travel on will undergo our same lost past

I found you here, now please just stay for a while
I can move on with you around
I hand you my mortal life, but will it be forever?
I'd do anything for a smile, holding you 'til our time is done
We both know the day will come, but I don't want to leave you

I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time
But I'm too young to worry (a melody, a memory, or just one picture)

Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost
It's empty and cold without you here, too many people to ache over

Newborn life replacing all of us, changing this fable we live in
No longer needed here so where do we go?
Will you take a journey tonight, follow me past the walls of death?
But girl, what if there is no eternal life?

I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time
But I'm too young to worry (a melody, a memory, or just one picture)

Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost
It's empty and cold without you here, too many people to ache over

Trials in life, questions of us existing here, don't wanna die alone without you here
Please tell me what we have is real

So, what if I never hold you, yeah, or kiss your lips again?
Woooaaah, so I never want to leave you and the memories of us to see
I beg don't leave me

Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost
It's empty and cold without you here, too many people to ache over

Trials in life, questions of us existing here, don't wanna die alone without you here
Please tell me what we have is real

Silence you lost me, no chance for one more day [x2 then continues in the background]
I stand here alone
Falling away from you, no chance to get back home
I stand here alone
Falling away from you, no chance to get back home

The poet begins with the wisdom he will unfold throughout his song,

Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost

There's no way to know how long you and I have to enjoy what we have, so live each moment to its fullest, make the most of what you have, be thankful for it, love richly and deeply, savor every good thing. Tomorrow may never come,

I hand you my mortal life, but will it be forever?
I'd do anything for a smile, holding you 'til our time is done
We both know the day will come, but I don't want to leave you

The poet muses about life, mortal life, the cycle of life, newborn life replacing those who age and die. And for those of us who are aging, where do we go? Does love last beyond this life?

No longer needed here so where do we go?
Will you take a journey tonight, follow me past the walls of death?
But girl, what if there is no eternal life?

...Trials in life, questions of us existing here, don't wanna die alone without you here Please tell me what we have is real

At some point in this life the tragic will happen, and you and I will be left behind when someone we dearly love dies,

It's empty and cold without you here, too many people to ache over

That pain is hard to describe. People say time heals all wounds, but in reality time usually just gives us...time. Time to get used to the ache, time to learn how to live with that empty place in our hearts. Then comes a different way of sorrowing,

I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time

When the beloved's face eludes memory, the sound of their voice, that way they would laugh, or toss their head, or move their hand.

If there is no eternity, then now is all we have.

The band illustrates this song in their video (link above) with another layer, with a sort of cosmic justice at work. Every action bears fruit of some kind, the good (love) to life, the bad (holding up a convenience store) to death. When you and I seize the day, what is it we'll do? Will we choose the good, or will we choose the bad? And if the bad, how steep will be the price?

Again a biblical theme comes through,

Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all

Yes, there is eternal life, and love is real. And also yes, there will always be a price to pay when you and I choose to seize the day with something bad, but we can never know how deep and long and wide the price will be. Sometimes a little mistake causes a lifetime of terrible pain.

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