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Spoken version
A recorded reading of “A Beat Left Open”. If the player does not load, use the original audio source.
My fingers begin on the bench before I decide to sit. A small wooden answer, four taps, then none. I pin my hand under my leg. The beat moves to my knee. A child at the kiosk taps glass. I give one knock back, leave the next beat empty. One comes from the other side. The board still says twenty minutes. I let the hands rest beside me. For now, the wait has a measure.
Lyrics
Knuckle Rhythm Platform bench, wet sleeves I sit on the dry end My right hand starts without me Then it starts again Knuckle rhythm on the wood A thumb against the seam I pin it under my leg It carries on in my knee Do that again That one, right there Give me that beat I've got time to spare The board adds twenty minutes To the train I meant to catch I put both hands beside me And let the left one match A kid beside the kiosk Taps once against the glass I leave a beat between us And wait to hear it back Do that again That one, right there Give me that beat I've got time to spare I don't check the board For a whole four bars My palms come down warm My cuffs ride up my arms Do that again That one, right there Give me that beat I've got time to spare Do that again That one, right there
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