Stop and listen

I lie there, letting the sound coddle

me, the sound of a slow bass.

Each line a recurring wave of soft-spoken chants

that grow to a forte but just enough to tie

me down with layers of smooth echoes forming cliques

that transcend between cues.

My eyes shut open on cue.

No more coddling.

Time slows and the clocks small clicks

become thumps, beating at the base

of a rhythm yet unknown, tying

me to the army of chants.

I once knew these chants

that flow from cue to cue

and again, I’m tied

to the sound that starts coddling

me with its trembling bass.

I lay there, eyes closed in a click.

Tick, tick, tick. Tock and then a loud click.

My fingers chant

with snaps, matching the heart of the bass.

My eyes make a cue

to open but they’re locked to the coddling

sound that keeps me down with a tie.

I loosen the tie

as my spine makes a clique

against the coddle

of the vibrant chanting.

My feet find the floor and make a short queue

as one flows in front of the other, building my walking base.

But I’m thrown back by the pounding bass.

And as I land in the sea of comfort, I’m once again wrapped and tied

down with cues

of harmony in cliques making clicks,

my name being chanted

with the soft voice that coddles.

My eyes close on the third click.

Noises are chanted

with the obscure voice that coddles.

Author's Note

This is a sestina.