(Intro) (A low, rhythmic pulse, like a heartbeat heard through a wall. The Cello enters with a single, long note—held until it begins to fray at the edges.)
(Verse 1) There’s a chair in the center, a circle of light And a ghost in the corner that’s looking for a fight You’re asking for keys to the rooms I have locked While the memory of "last time" remains in the clock How do I give you the map to my scars? When you used the last one to build up the bars.
(Verse 2) You want the "Technicolor," the root, and the soul But I’m still staring down at the depth of the hole You call it a "session," I call it a risk A high-stakes gamble on a fragile disk Safety is a language we’ve forgotten to speak And the bridge that we’re building is frighteningly weak.
(Chorus) (The Cello rises—wide, aching, but refusing to fully "open" its sound) You can’t build the roof while the ground is in flight You can’t ask for truth in the middle of the night Safety’s the soil where the trust has to grow But the winter is long and we’re buried in snow I’m not being "difficult," I’m not being "slow" I’m just waiting for a sign that it’s steady below.
(Bridge) (The beat becomes more granular—a shivering, glitchy texture. The Cello plays a series of sharp, questioning notes) First comes the shelter, then comes the breath. Without the protection, it feels like a death. You’ve weaponized the "me" that I gave you before Now I’m standing like a sentry at the edge of the door Is this an invitation... or a lure? Is this a poison... or a cure?
(Verse 3) I profile the silence, the weight in the room The therapist’s clock and the gathering gloom I’m choosing the distance to keep me alive Because "opening up" doesn't mean we’ll survive The most honest thing I can tell you today Is that I’m still too frightened to give it away.
(Outro) (The electronics fade to a soft, white noise. The Cello returns to the low, grounding drone) The floor isn't solid. The walls aren't high. I’m not ready... To say goodbye to the "I." (Whispered) Safety first. Then the heart. That’s the only way to start.
Symmetry
