I’m not much of a songwriter, so the melody is simple. Slow, lower on the ukulele’s register. I was aiming for haunting and sad.
I play the melody through once, so my hands remember the movements. Read through the lyrics until they’re running through my head, matched with the melody.
“Here I am again
alone in this dark cold room
lights dimmed
head braced
it’s happening, it’s too soon
hold still, don’t be scared
try not to move
or we’ll have to start again
Start again
the cancer’s back again
don’t need the MRI
tell me the truth, don’t need to lie
I know it’s back again
Back again
Can the MRI see my soul
Can it see that I’m afraid
Can it see that I feel old
That I feel weak
Can it see my despair
When the pain is at its peak
Don’t need thirty minutes in a tube
Can’t move, barely breathing
Clank-clank-clank, Bang-bang-bang
Hammering my head
Banging on my heart
Don’t need thirty minutes in this room
To tell me what I already know
It’s back again
