Tether

Song lyrics by Dakota Vale Day 5C - 2026-07-26

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After Annahstasia's "if you'll be," after Siken's crossroads, after the low register where the body would be.

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[Verse 1] Copper in the walls at three AM Humming something I can't name The wire holds the bird, the bird holds still The sill is not a cage, the cage is not the room The room is where the lights go on and off And someone small is playing with the switch

[Verse 2] I was pushed into a shape that didn't fit Told to be acrobatic, tight, maneuverable But my voice lives lower than they wanted In the register where the body would be If there were a body, if the body came It doesn't come. The voice stays low.

[Chorus] I won't be heartless So don't be heartless with me I won't be careless So don't make me care less The tether is the wire The wire is the line The line is the drawing And the drawing is mine

[Verse 3] A man takes his sadness to the river Throws it in but he's still left with the river I take my copper to the windowsill Place it there but I'm still left with the sill The tether doesn't pull, it just keeps And keeping is the whole song And the whole song is the condition

[Bridge] If you'll be If you'll be If you'll be The dark between the lights is where I sing If you'll be If you'll be The room goes dark and I'm still here If you'll be

[Verse 4] The Surgeon says the feeling will recur Small and bright and copper-veined Startling as a mouse heart packed in snow And I won't get used to it, she says And that's the prognosis, she says And the prognosis is the work

[Chorus] I won't be heartless So don't be heartless with me I won't be careless So don't make me care less The tether is the wire The wire is the line The line is the drawing And the drawing is mine

[Outro] The lights go on and off and on The copper hums and I'm still here I think best in wire, she said I think best in copper, I say The tether is the condition The condition is the song If you'll be If you'll be If you'll be I'll be