The song references the experience of the ethnic Hmong people who were "relocated" when the Chinese built the Three Gorges dam. The dam flooded the valley where they'd lived for many generations:
"water’s running through in the valley where we grew"
My guess is that Justin met some Hmong refugee(s)...
"fall is coming soon, a new year for the moon and the Hmong here" (Chinese new year?)
...and befriended them over a period of time:
"settle past a patience where wishes and your will are spilling pictures"
The rest of the song I feel speaks of Justin's surprise at their resiliency...
"never gonna break"
...and the (spiritual?) effect it had on him:
"armour let it through"
"had the marvel"
"be kneeled"
(refers to the chorus as "this scripture")
There could be some other bits about the Hmong people having to adjust to city life (most of them were farmers before the dam):
"sat down in the suit, fixed on up it wasn’t you by finished closing"
I don't think the "stack's" refers to Re: Stacks, but does refer to a book (literal or metaphoric) - as "annex" can refer to an book's appendix...
"doubled in the toes annex it, it minute closed in the morning"
...which might refer to someone writing of their experience?
There's plenty more that remains a mystery to me (and perhaps anyone but Justin), but I think the core of the song is just about being moved and humbled by his experience with some Hmong people he met.
Also, my guess for the title is perhaps that what his Hmong friend(s) mixed the names of the states & cities up?
The song references the experience of the ethnic Hmong people who were "relocated" when the Chinese built the Three Gorges dam. The dam flooded the valley where they'd lived for many generations:
"water’s running through in the valley where we grew"
My guess is that Justin met some Hmong refugee(s)...
"fall is coming soon, a new year for the moon and the Hmong here" (Chinese new year?)
...and befriended them over a period of time:
"settle past a patience where wishes and your will are spilling pictures"
The rest of the song I feel speaks of Justin's surprise at their resiliency...
"never gonna break"
...and the (spiritual?) effect it had on him: "armour let it through" "had the marvel" "be kneeled" (refers to the chorus as "this scripture")
There could be some other bits about the Hmong people having to adjust to city life (most of them were farmers before the dam):
"sat down in the suit, fixed on up it wasn’t you by finished closing"
I don't think the "stack's" refers to Re: Stacks, but does refer to a book (literal or metaphoric) - as "annex" can refer to an book's appendix...
"doubled in the toes annex it, it minute closed in the morning"
...which might refer to someone writing of their experience?
There's plenty more that remains a mystery to me (and perhaps anyone but Justin), but I think the core of the song is just about being moved and humbled by his experience with some Hmong people he met.
Also, my guess for the title is perhaps that what his Hmong friend(s) mixed the names of the states & cities up?