Almost Me

I hear it before waking
Not loud
Not far
A small hand in the dark
Counting what I am
It is not the clock
The clock is late
It only learned
To imitate

Drop by drop
Beat by beat
The unseen rises
Underneath

I am inside the room
And the room has learned my name
There is a wall I cannot see beyond
There is a sound I cannot tame
I do not look down
I do not look down
I keep my mouth above the dark
Until the water goes

The glass does not explain itself
It only lets me see
It gives me light
It gives me shape
It gives me almost me
They say there may be outside
A field, a door, a sky
But wanting makes a window
And a window makes a knife

Drop by drop
Beat by beat
What I avoid
Learns to breathe

I am inside the room
And the room has learned my name
There is a wall I cannot see beyond
There is a sound I cannot tame
I do not look down
I do not look down
I keep my mouth above the dark
Until the water goes

Maybe nothing waits for me
Maybe that is kind
Maybe the wall is mercy
Dressed as something blind
I am not afraid tonight
I am not asking why
I am only keeping time
With what keeps me alive

I am inside the room
And the room has learned my name
There is a wall I cannot see beyond
There is a sound I cannot tame
I do not look down
I do not look down
I keep my mouth above the dark
Until the water goes

Until the water goes
Until the water goes
I do not look down
I do not look down
Until the water goes