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Spoken version
A recorded reading of “Catabasis”. If the player does not load, use the original audio source.
The lift in my head jams halfway. You meet me between floors, sit on the tile, say nothing. You hand me an orange; we breathe. Your phone goes dark, a saint refusing miracles. No fix. You stay. Slow hands. Soft gaze. We make a fort of blankets; the day waits outside. One small joke to set a beat. My pride lets go. “Nothing is ruined”—not true, and kind enough. Rescue is seldom clean, or once, or neat. Company lays rungs from breath to feet. You cue a song we only hum. You count to four. The dark forgets its sums. When the crawl begins again, you fetch the dog and a plan— shining for no reason. We try it because we can. Three dull shopfronts, christened after saints. The pavement keeps the count. Your turn will come. I’ll cup your name like a match against crosswind; bring two oranges, a dead phone, the same clean lie that makes it almost true. Somewhere a lift unsticks its doors a thumb-width. The dog settles, chin on knee. Outside, the light goes on unbriefed.
Instructional lyrics
[Intro 4b pad + vinyl] [Verse 1] the lift in my head jams halfway you meet me at floor between you sit on the tiles, no speeches you pass me an orange, we breathe you set your phone to nothing a black glass that won’t ring you say we can lie like saints who failed at the sainting thing [Pre rise + claps] no fix, just stay slow hands, soft gaze [Chorus impact] go down, hold name come up, still same [Verse 2] you make a fort from blankets you fold the day outside you toss one joke for rhythm the panic drops its pride you say nothing is ruined false, correct, still kind a clean lie that helps a body is mercy in a line [Pre rise + bass swell] few words, warm tea let time unfreeze [Chorus impact + 3rds] go down, hold name come up, still same [Verse 3] most cannot be rescued not clean, not once, not neat but company makes ladders out of breath and feet you cue a song in silence we hum the ghost of drums you count to four with fingers the dark forgets its sums [Pre rise + shaker] sit, don’t mend be near, be friend [Break 2b stop] [Chorus impact call & response] go down, hold name come up, still same [Verse 4] when worms show teeth inside me you fetch a dog and plan the plan is dumb and shining we try it ‘cause we can we leave the room for weather we walk the bad-lit block we name three dull shop windows we let the pavement talk [Pre rise + piano ostinato] small tests, small light left foot, then right [Chorus impact] go down, hold name come up, still same [Verse 5] your turn will come like weather I’ll carry your name like flame cupped match against crosswind I’ll guard its thin small frame I’ll bring two round oranges I’ll bring the dead phone too I’ll say nothing is ruined and make it almost true [Pre rise + octave bass] I will not tidy I will not preach [Chorus impact + crowd oohs] go down, hold name come up, still same [Bridge strip vox + pad] blink once for stay twice for tea no rush, no scale just you and me [Final Chorus x2 stacked] go down, hold name come up, still same go down, hold name come up, still same [Tag 2b reverb tail] mercy keeps the seam
Song info
Dark/warm alt-pop palette (88–102 BPM), Aeolian/Dorian; dry lofi kit, palm‑mute guitars, round sub, sparse piano ostinato, analog pad beds; intimate verses → belted two‑line hooks (monosyllables heavy); rising‑bass/clap Pres; slap delay lead, short plate BVs; recurring motifs: moss, soup, streets, “text at six‑forty,” oranges/blankets; logistics-as-tenderness; end with quiet tags.
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