I was reaching out again
somewhere around the middle of my gut
thinking that I could call you
share the secrets and the joys
of a new year
but I reached out and caught only
the passing air of another day
the rope is slack
there's no one tugging back

I was thinking out loud again
somewhere in the middle of the day
and thinking in a reflex that you'd love
to hear about the new job, new life
anything
but I caught myself in the middle of a thought
like you catch yourself from falling
the rope is slack
there's no one tugging back

I was crying on the bus again
as these words started forming in my head
you can't play tug-of-war
or jump rope
without someone on the other end