[Intro — instrumental: bass pulses, brushed snare, sax in nervous circles] [Verse 1 — spoken, breathless] my mirror brain cracking in the chrome morning light my face melting like old neon signs my name sliding off the shelf behind me falling into the sink with the hair and the teeth and the memories the ceiling fan spinning conspiracy — again again i say i am fine i am fine i am not fine not fine i stare into the teacup waiting for the leaves to accuse me [Break — sax squeals upward, piano hits wrong chords on purpose] [Verse 2 — chant] mother said stay still be simple be quiet father said run run run till the shoes wear out teacher said show your work but i hid it behind walls behind walls behind walls because the angels were doing math in my skull long division of sins across an infinite chalkboard they refuse to erase [Bridge — whispered over bass solo] i saw my shadow laughing in the alley leaning against the bricks like a dead poet i asked what time it was it said “forever” i said that’s too long it said “no” [Refrain — half-shouted, repeated] what counts what counts what counts the teeth the tears the footsteps what counts what counts what counts the lost keys the lost years the lost gods [Solo — drums explode under a sax meltdown, piano trembles] [Verse 3 — tremolo voice, unpunctuated] midnight on a carpet of yesterday’s noise letters crawling through the floorboards my tongue becoming a broken radio broadcasting apologies to no one i hear the clocks chewing time in the next room chewing and chewing and chewing but they never swallow [Refrain — slower, like a questioning prayer] what counts what counts do i count does anything count count count count me before i disappear count me before i turn to vapor rising from a street grate count me before the records burn [Outro — whispered into feedback] i promise i was here i promise i was counting i promise i will keep counting until the numbers forgive me
