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Spoken version
A recorded reading of “Self-Portrait with Broken Mirror”. If the player does not load, use the original audio source.
The wall hangs a round moon by a strap, cold glass keeping its microclimate. I stand where the dark stays quiet; the mirror speaks behind my back. A sheet selects a body. Sleeves of air lift to the elbows. No face, no feet— only a pale sail, becalmed. Cracks vein the circle, an ice-map. Black wire sutures the hush, a signature the glass can’t sound out, crossing my name. I touch the rim. The room holds its breath. Somewhere the sheet measures my height. Outside, night is pinned to a nail.
Alternative version
The wall wears a round moon on a strap, cold glass keeping its little weather. I stand where the dark keeps quiet; the mirror does the talking. Inside it, a sheet chooses a body. Sleeves of air lift to the elbows. No feet, no face—just a pale sail waiting for wind that never arrives. Fractures vein the circle like winter on a pond. Black wire stitches the silence shut, a signature the glass cannot read, crossing out what might have been my name. I touch the rim. The room barely breathes. Somewhere the sheet learns my height. Outside, night drapes the houses the same way— a soft, white weather knotted to a nail.
Instructional lyrics
[Intro sparse pad, vinyl crackle] [Verse 1 lofi kit, Rhodes] The wall wears a round moon on a strap Cold glass keeps its little weather I stand where the dark stays quiet The mirror talks behind my back [Pre rise piano, soft bass] A sheet picks a body from air Sleeves lift and stop at elbows No face, no feet, a pale sail It waits for wind that won’t come [Chorus wide doubles, clap swell] hold me in cold glow then let me let go [Verse 2 add gtr harmonics] Cracks vein the circle like winter Black wire stitches the hush tight A mark the glass cannot read Crossing out my name [Pre rise piano, soft bass] I touch the rim, the room holds breath Somewhere the sheet learns my height Outside, night knots to a nail Windows forget their shine [Chorus wide doubles, clap swell] hold me in cold glow then let me let go [Bridge whispers + bow pad] Say it Or don’t I float I fold Cold glow Let go [Chorus x2] [Outro hush pad fade]
Song info
Ethereal art-pop x trip-hop ~78 BPM, A minor; brushed kit + vinyl crackle, detuned Rhodes, granular pad swells, guitar harmonics, deep sub; verse close-mic, pre lift with piano ostinato, hook wide doubles + airy oohs; structure: Intro 4b -> V1 -> Pre -> Chorus -> V2 -> Pre -> Chorus -> Bridge (spoken whispers + bow pad) -> Final Chorus x2 -> Outro; tape wow, soft hiss; city-at-night hush; hook two-line A/A rhyme on open “oh”.
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