Sneaks Up Slow

[Verse 1]
I washed your mug by hand
Then stared at the sink too long
Your note still in the drawer
Folded small, then folded wrong
I laughed at nothing at noon
Then froze in the grocery line
It hits in stupid places, baby
Quiet as a dropped dime
[Pre-Chorus]
And I was fine, I swear
Right up till I wasn’t
One little crack
And the whole thing comes undone
I keep on moving
Like that should fix the aching
But it waits in the walls
For the room to be alone
[Chorus]
Grief’s a crafty little fucker
(yeah, it is)
Grief’s a crafty little fucker
It sneaks up slow
Grief’s a crafty little fucker
When you think you’re safe
It taps your shoulder
Then takes your name
[Verse 2]
Your coat is on the chair
Like you might want it back
The house knows your shape
Every corner, every track
I talk to the air sometimes
Like you’re late, like you’re near
Then I hear myself and laugh
At the sound of missing you here
[Pre-Chorus]
And I was fine, I swear
Right up till I wasn’t
One little crack
And the whole thing comes undone
I keep on moving
Like that should fix the aching
But it waits in the walls
For the room to be alone
[Chorus]
Grief’s a crafty little fucker
(yeah, it is)
Grief’s a crafty little fucker
It sneaks up slow
Grief’s a crafty little fucker
When you think you’re safe
It taps your shoulder
Then takes your name
[Bridge]
Some nights I let it sit
At the foot of my bed
I don’t chase it out
I just let it be said
That love leaves bruises
And bruises fade blue
But the quiet little monster
Still knows where to find you
[Final Chorus]
Grief’s a crafty little fucker
(yeah, it is)
Grief’s a crafty little fucker
It sneaks up slow
Grief’s a crafty little fucker
When you think you’re safe
It taps your shoulder
Then takes your name
It taps your shoulder
Then takes your name

Dark indie folk with fingerpicked acoustic guitar, bowed bass, and a low brushed-snare pulse; verse stays intimate and spare, pre-chorus opens with a second guitar drone and a breathy lift, chorus lands in stacked harmony with handclaps and a chantable repeat. Vocal is close-mic, cracked, and confessional, with doubled hook lines and soft backing oohs. Ear candy includes reversed swells, creaking room tone, and a final chorus lift with field-hum shimmer. Mix is warm, dusty, and close to the bone., folk