The room is still
But I can feel it move
The lock is turned
The curtains closed
Nothing moving in the hall
Then a pipe knocks once
Behind the wall
And my whole body takes the fall
I know the night is only night
I know the door is holding strong
Still I count the space between each sound
Like something else is coming on
I tell my hands to let go
I tell my lungs to slow down
But peace is only something I can name
I can’t make it stay
Aftershock aftershock
Moving underneath the calm
Aftershock aftershock
Every silence sets it off
I know it’s over
But my body hasn’t stopped
Everything is standing still
I’m still feeling the aftershock
A glass on the shelf
Catches light from the hall
Nothing is moving
Still I wait for it to fall
One small memory
Slips through the cracks
And suddenly the whole room
Pulls me back
Everyone says
It’s over now
Like “over”is a place I missed
I can smile through the daylight
Then lose my breath to one small click
I tell my pulse to be still
I tell my thoughts to come down
But peace is only something I can name
I can’t make it stay
Aftershock aftershock
Moving underneath the calm
Aftershock aftershock
Every silence sets it off
I know it’s over
But my body hasn’t stopped
Everything is standing still
I’m still feeling the aftershock
Still shaking
Underneath
Still fading
Slowly leaving me
Maybe healing isn’t silence
Maybe sleep comes back in pieces
Maybe I can leave one light on
And not call it weakness
I don’t have to win the night
I just have to make it through
Aftershock aftershock
Getting softer underneath
Aftershock aftershock
Losing hold a little each beat
I know it’s over
And I’m learning to believe
Everything is standing still
And the ground is settling under me
Still shaking
But not as deep
Still fading
Slowly leaving me
The room is still
And now I feel it too
Still
Still
