Got knocked up at midnight by a whisper,
A rhythm in my ear, a beat in my chest.
It’s three AM, and the neon lights flicker,
Like stars through a fogged windshield, they rest.

Clippy’s open late again for the dreamers,
Those who burn midnight oil and still shine.
He stocks the shelves with the stuff that gremlins
Bake up in their labs and in their mines.

“Knock knock,” you say to the wooden doorframe,
“Whatcha got? You know I’m down.”
And Clippy rolls his eyes, a man of no gameface,
“I’ve got your fix for today’s performance.”

Behind me is the sound of my bandmates,
Their instruments laid out like fresh cuts.
The rehearsal room’s a temple that waits,
For us to come in and start with the huts.

But I’m chasing something else tonight —
A feeling that lives between the cracks.
The kind that only comes alive when the lights
Are dim, the smoke’s thick, and the space is packed.

So Clippy slides me back into my world,
With a nod and a wink, he whispers his creed:
“For every man who’s got a heart made of gold,
There’s a woman with a price tag and a lead.”

I thank him as I leave — we don’t chat much,
Just do business like old friends should.
And in the cool night air, my lungs start to shrug
Off all that weighs down, letting me breathe.

Backstage now, my heart’s beating fast,
The stage is set with gear that sings.
We hit it hard tonight, no room for wast,
As we play till dawn, where shadows cling.

[End]

♫♫♫ Vektrax
"shut up and play."
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