084 Next Room

ARCHIVE #084

Next Room

Newbies Prompt Log AI

Track No. 084

Format: MP3 (320kbps)

Lyrics

i used to calibrate the air window cracked one hand wide glass turned from the light chair pulled back half an inch i spoke before silence loaded kept the sugar centered kept the table neutral kept the room from naming me then a hand crossed mine and shut the latch a thank you thinned midair a spoon touched porcelain three times same place the napkin folded once then opened flat again next room i left the glass alone next room i let the pause initialize next room both hands stayed visible water first chair square voice level route week weather sleep low drag clean response no thumbprint logged then one silence fit exactly not empty not polite just wide enough for a laugh to enter nothing corrected it nothing broke a cup stayed down sugar went untouched the room held its shape without my help later i heard the laugh before it broke held a joke half a beat set it past the center line the coffee’s burnt no just strong that’s a generous word someone laughed into the rim someone looked up and stayed there someone asked what i meant i told them left the answer on the table watched the room process it a pen stopped clicking a chair turned one degree one glance reached the door and came back late the tray landed too hard water first chair square voice level again route week weather sleep each word set down came back with weight window shut sugar sealed both hands on the table clean response late by a beat i knew the clean exit glass straight chair square route in my pocket weather on my tongue i could have called it nothing smiled it back to flat made the table even made the room behave but i left the cup uneven left the answer with its weight kept both hands in the light my face caught once in the glass i let it stay there no retraction logged next room same glass catching light next room same latch same pause water first chair square voice level route week weather sleep route then not level not clean not gone window shut sugar sealed both hands on the table something left a thumbprint something came back warm next room same pause showing its face before mine