Merge, a vessel, a harbour
A perfect union
Of gift and reception
Each an eye
On the same face
Loss and gain
Fly into the mouth of the ground
Six feet under
Thanks to some failure
Fly into the mouth of the ground
Six feet under
One for the light
One for the dark
Taste each other
For a moment, then goodbye
Hold her eyes
Share the same air
Oh lay it down
Oh lay it bare
I'm speechless
Naked as a fiery sunset
Eternal but fleeting
Destroyed not complete
A perfect cacophony
Rising like vapour
Solid and liquid
Awkward and trapping
Stolen but paid for [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/g/great_lake_swimmers/merge_a_vessel_a_harbour.html ]
Legs and knees and ankles and toes
When it burns an old enemy flows
Legs and knees and ankles and toes
When it burns an old enemy flows
Gathered and strewn
From this altitude
To some other moon
Wearing false armour
And useless shields
Failed to exist
Crying out into the streets
They are always prepared for the cries
Prepared for the worst
Crying out loud but the noise is absorbed
They are transfixed but untransformed
Stop accommodating echoes
Into these hard-pressed streets
Into these well-traveled streets
Into these hard-pressed streets
I believe this songs is about a heroin addiction. The band is about recovery from addictions and merging from life to his escape (aka the vessel) and arriving at the harbour of this new moon as he says, "to some other moon wearing false armour" because using this addiction to escape reality is in fact a false armour to being in a better reality. Also, its pretty obvious when he says, "legs and knees and ankles and toes when it burns an old enemy flows. " this burning is likely the numbing/warm tingly feeling associated with opiates that goes through the body, probably for him, starting through his lower body.
Anyways, that's my interpretation. Feel free to give feedback or corrections.