Lyric

The phone said 4:13

Against my cheek

I had slept sideways

On a folded blanket

One arm under me

One sock half off

The pillow had printed

A line on my face

The curtain made the room

A cheaper color

The glass by the bed

Was still almost full

I touched the screen once

Then turned it down

As if the time

Could be handled later

I rested

And came back with nothing

Same body

Same checked messages

The day had moved

Without asking me

I woke up late

And stayed behind

I slept too long

And woke up the same

The room had shifted

I had not

Nothing was wrong

Nothing improved

Just a strange taste

After the hours

Afternoon Aftertaste

The blanket held heat

I did not need

My shirt was twisted

Under my shoulder

A charger lay bent

Beside the bed

Not plugged in

Not useful yet

The laundry still waited

Near the chair

The plate from before

Had hardened at the edge

A message sat unread

With a polite first line

I knew the words

And left them there

I rested

And came back with nothing

Same room

Same small list

The day had thinned

While I was gone

I woke up late

And owed the rest

I slept too long

And woke up the same

The room had shifted

I had not

Nothing was wrong

Nothing improved

Just a strange taste

After the hours

Afternoon Aftertaste

I thought rest

Would return me better

Or at least return me

Ready enough

But I came back

Creased and dry

With a pillow mark

And no new answer

I had given the hours

To my own body

And my body

Gave back very little

Not refusal

Not recovery

Just the same weight

In a later room

I sat up slowly

Then stayed sitting

One foot on the floor

One still under the sheet

The room looked usable

From a certain angle

If I ignored

The chair

If I ignored

The plate

If I ignored

The phone

If I ignored

The hour

I stood at last

For no clear reason

And the blanket folded

Badly behind me

I slept too long

And woke up the same

The room had shifted

I had not

Nothing was wrong

Nothing improved

Just a strange taste

After the hours

Afternoon Aftertaste

The glass stayed full

The phone stayed warm

The curtain held

That late color

I stood by the bed

Then sat back down

Not to sleep

Just not to start yet