IV. Glow

[PAULA]
WE LIE IN BED
MY HUSBAND AND I
BREATHING SIDE BY SIDE
IN THE DARK

HE BREATHES OUT
AND I BREATHE IN
I BREATHE HIM IN
WHATEVER HE’S PUTTING OUT
I BREATHE IN

WE LIE IN BED
HE LEANS ON HIS SIDE
OFFERS ME HIS BACK
BROAD AND STRANGE

AND HIS THUMB SCROLLS THROUGH HIS PHONE
I FEEL IT RIPPLE IN MY BONES
HIS GESTURES ECHO THROUGH ME
LIKE A SOULQUAKE
AND I HEAR HIM SIGH

AND THE MOON IS GONE
THE ONLY LIGHT IN THIS SONG

IS A STALE PALE GLOW
LIGHTING UP THE SHEETS
A STALE PALE GLOW
FROM A SCREEN OF SICKLY SWEETS

WE DON’T SLEEP WELL
MY HUSBAND AND I
OUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS CORRUPTED
BY THE SALLOW BLUE GLOW OF A SCREEN
SUCKING OUR SOULS AND MELATONIN
ALL OF MY DREAMS HAVE BEEN STOLEN

THERE’S A GLASS OF DUSTY WATER ON HIS NIGHTSTAND
IT HAS STOOD THERE FOR FIVE DAYS
HE HASN’T TOUCHED IT
HE DOESN’T TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF
HE IS PARALYZED

BY A STALE PALE GLOW
LIGHTING UP THE SHEETS
A STALE PALE GLOW
FLATTENING OUR HEARTBEATS

GOD I WISH HE WOULD SCREAM
I WISH HE WOULD BREAK DOWN ON THE BED
I WISH WE WOULD FIGHT
TEAR AT OUR HAIR
LET THE BITS AND BYTES
DISSOLVE IN THE NIGHT
IT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT

WHAT IF YOU JUST MISSED SOMETHING?
WHAT IF YOU LET SOMETHING GO?
JUST FOR THE NIGHT
WOULD THAT BE ALL RIGHT?
OH I SWEAR IT’D BE THE SAME
THEY ARE ALL JUST MOTES OF DUST
WE ARE ALL MOTES OF DUST

NOTHING IS AS VITAL AS IT SEEMS
TRAGEDIES, CATASTROPHES
NIGHTMARES, HORRORS, HEARTBREAKS, EXTREMES
ALL THESE SUFFERING SOULS
THAT YOU CANNOT CONTROL
AND YOU INVITE THEM ALL
IN OUR BED?

WELL WHAT IF I’M NOT BIG ENOUGH
TO TAKE IN SO MUCH PAIN?
IT BEATS ON MY BRAIN
I AM GOING INSANE
RIGHT HERE, IN THIS BED, NEXT TO YOU
YOU’D SEE IT IF YOU WEREN’T SO LOST
IN THE STALE PALE GLOW
THE STALE PALE GLOW

IT’D BE FUN IF WE WERE KIDS
WITH FLASHLIGHTS
TELLING EACH OTHER OUR SECRETS
IN OUR LINEN CAVE

OH BABE, WHERE DID YOU GO?
OH BABE, WHERE DID YOU GO?
OH BABE, WHERE DID YOU GO?
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