quartz

by Zachx

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1.
time 03:30
[verse 1] the clock kept whispering as a surge of memories proceeded to electrocute me. electric. they think i’m on a timer’s cue, but i’ll keep hitting snooze. it doesn’t mean i’ll lose. magnetic. [pre-chorus] the time on each level is diminishing. stock up bonus points; keep advancing. [chorus] pause. resume each phenomenal moment. play. present—featured presentation. rewind. past youth phases and components. fast forward. skipping the future anticipation. can’t keep time between my hands like the clocks can. it’s me versus time in the ring, and time is overtaking me. [verse 2] trying to reimagine a machine that retakes numbers you’ve thieved, and puts them back in my inventory. nostalgic. the glass may be expiring soon, but i intend on flipping the view. gaining grains beneath my shoes. reminiscent. [pre-chorus] indexing information i’m collecting. it’s all slowly integrating. [bridge] you know what makes me tick. spectator of my alarming ticks. you know what ticks me off. transformed into a time bomb. (time’s up.)
2.
crystallized 03:40
[verse 1] i froze like ice. freezing or a defective screen. my face cracked, but broken only somewhat. don’t replace my features; speculate from another. rewrite and decode. much like a geode— rough appearance, but inside brilliance. only rocks to those who can’t see gemstones. [pre-chorus] the most valuable lies in the intangible. my rotors are crystallizing, can my gears keep revolving? [chorus] set in stone, i’m c r y s t a l l i z e d. faceted points of clarity. beneath the surface, cloudy. program the crystals; charge the crystals— [be]’cause you’re going to need higher power to waver me. [verse 2] i’ve polished my senses as transparent crystalline. i know what you are now— what i was warned about. i didn’t heed the help; had to learn it for myself. i’ve further matured. nucleation has occurred. but, you can stay buried in childish play. jewelers can determine if you’re synthetic or genuine. [pre-chorus] you may be valuable, but always replaceable. if my rotors are crystallizing, i’m set here or left dying. [bridge] sanity not included. emotional inclusions. aggregate data has been excavated.
3.
games 02:47
[intro] start! [verse 1] you’ve been hiding, i haven’t been seeking. i’ve become a scout. i found you…out. try again; out of credits, playing dumb in arcades. losing life in gameplay. [pre-chorus] your digits are pressing all my buttons hard. life’s not digital, your widgets are incompatible. checkpoint! [chorus] everybody has different stories in the same games. i’m stuck on this level, confusing stage. can i turn off this zone, later complete it? power ups, cheat codes—i’ll save and exit. i’m downloading content constantly in my brain. my mind’s the console for these games. [verse 2] sometimes i want a main menu so i can replay levels of life, and relive past times, too. avoid all enemies—don’t die. press select, start a new game, or can we beat the score? am i content with my badges, metals, storylines? [pre-chorus] can i play as another character? [want to] just unlock a new player. [bridge] a (A) controller will be (B) used to see (C) who they are— (R) what the ex [X] exploits and why. (Y) [outro] we can start new games. erase files—don’t click save. they can’t play those games. don’t want to play, but be saved. the bosses are kidnapping them, and i just want to unplug it. game over… continue?
4.
battery 03:12
[verse 1] if you can delete me from your life in easy mode, i’m moving you to trash. can’t have you stored my mind. i’m a reactor—maybe i over-react, but i’m ejecting convicts. i’m calibrating my senses. you’re weak, dependent on chips. constantly, you plug them in. errors still occur—there’s no fix that won’t cause antithesis. [pre-chorus] old enough for wine. too old to whine. you act fine, but you’ll be charged with a fine. [chorus] you make me want to commit a crime. you’re killing me; we’ve declined. [be]cause i’m so salty; i [want to] go assaulting. my battery is dying, but i may be charged with battery. i’m overly skeptical while you sit petty like a child. you’re reprogrammed following. i’ve updated my machinery. you’re just an accessory. i’ve reached my cells’ capacity—battery. [verse 2] you abused a percentage of me. i was unaware in the background. browsed the files that you could see, and didn’t care if i was unwound. deactivated right before your eyes. changed my passcode to defy. you keep advertising to me how you think. cleared all of our history from my mind—it’s obsolete. [pre-chorus] got a new case to protect me in this case. plugged in my charger. charged—guilty—court’s adjourned. [bridge] charge me. i’m dying. my battery; used by unnecessary applications. plug me into the source powering. force quit all the frustrations.
5.
electronics 03:25
[verse 1] people always misreading. disks never read correctly. our algorithms encrypted; i am conflicted. we keep refreshing the page, like it’s [going to] change. terms and conditions nobody reads. we’re all broken links. make your default a backbone. avoid factory settings, so clean the discs’ grime and insert them in your spine. [pre-chorus] see it for what it is. i have no filter on my lens. [chorus] electronics. your input— it determines the output. [verse 2] register for more stamina. power through people’s cameras. virtually impossible for me to load focus necessary. i’m capable—i adapt. constantly attacked. resourceful in my setting; always ready to foresee. writing and playing my mind— buttons and keys to unwind because keyboards can convey what words or sounds can’t say. [pre-chorus] much like a kid, i have no filter. i say what i’m thinkin[g]. [bridge] scanning eyes. scanning ears. video eyes. audio ears. change the station. [change the station.] unplugged my controller—stop. don’t put yours in my slot. you fake for damage control. alternate endings—altering roles. delete the discourteousness. cut—command respect. copy what is CHRIST and paste it to my sprites. seeking a new access point [be]cause you think i’m a toy. ulterior motives. i see your cursor movin[g]. [pre-chorus] rivals and fights. don't overwrite my save data with your drama. [outro] quit playing with emotions like they’re video games.
6.
sugar 03:14
[verse 1] seeking sweet memories; it’s sour to be reminiscing. wish all wanted to remain a child, yet be programmed wise. back when the pills you’d need were colorful candies. the only bills you’d pay were played on board games. [pre-chorus] juvenile things seem pure. in development, they’re unsure. [chorus] everything was coated in sugar. as we aged, it dissolved away. with each lap, it became bitter. it all resulted with every taste. remember, sugar disguises— doesn’t remove the tartness. i’d rather coat myself in metal, [be]cause sugar is washable. sugar can’t preserve youth. each palate has different hues. like plastic in a display case. on a platform designed for crystal’s sake. [verse 2] you’re processed. i try to process, but you’re not legitimate. it brings a bad aftertaste. [be]cause sweetener only imitates. though sometimes the artificial appears better than the actual, but demons are as beautiful as all of the angels. [pre-chorus] cache your coin tokens before they cash them in. [bridge] they fed us; we bit. bytes not authenticated. they store our cookies to send us spam links. pick out a pack, open the slat. pull it out—cradle it between your fingertips. you decide how— paper or mouth? trading it; playing it— swiping it; paying it. using cards to play by; abusing cards to try to buy time. viewed differently as age comes to be— the reality of kids who stopped imagining. lived both. clutch that hope. anticipated sugary taste. disappointed salty trace. sugar gets too sweet as we are aging. it’s bittersweet.
7.
phonic 03:36
[verse 1] sorry, but the person you’re [trying to] reach is disconnected. into action—each cell called. roaming, ignoring signals. conversations are singular. when i’m manic, you’re polar. listen to the wise. begin to synchronize. [pre-chorus] it all comes in waves. frequencies we can’t translate. [chorus] our sounds cancel out. you hear phonic noises; do you comprehend voices? am i just a number? you’re getting number. don’t get hung up on my mouth when it calls you out. don’t take my tone out of context. i’ll remain in contact. for somebody so connected, you never seem to listen. [verse 2] wreck their towers. diminish the networks. leave it with no service. don’t answer to the nervous. like reality is fuzzy. is your head dizzy? rearrange the crystals in your ears so you can better hear. [pre-chorus] thoughts are chaotic, then they become sonic. [bridge] rings on your fingers. rings in your ears. distractions linger. hooked on your fears. deceit’s volume is high. be busy, but prioritize. incoming angst—decline. sin’s on hold on the other line. audible waves. visible waves. tangible waves. ignored in space.
8.
dark&light 04:18
[verse 1] flipping switches only for a moment. just long enough to see to navigate through the treacherous darkness. my eyes sore—quickly map this place. lying in the dark. going deep in my server. finding past harm. imagine pain of others. agitation hacks my mind almost every night. darkness is the harness; catches me when light wrenches. [be]cause even light can cause distress. attracted to bugs’ distractions—aches in eye sockets. i’m caught in a dark, webbed net. surfing to unconsciousness. fear of unknown cloaks me. avoiding demonic defeat. [pre-chorus] heroes shifting into shadows. villains turning into flashes. false gods are imminent. dusk and dawn’s revelation. [chorus] when it’s so dark, don’t even know if your eyes are opened or closed. when it’s so light, can’t even tell if you’ve gone blind or into death’s spell. [verse 2] every color simultaneously. may be bright on the surface, but dark instantaneously. if you shade me, i’ll project this. i find that every time, i just want to be found though i do hide. uncovered underground. i have a fine lining. i play hide and seek. and, we celebrate a rainbow's sight. but which side of the spectrum is magnified? i am plaid—multicolored. configuring and contrasting patterns. glowing eyes depict the life. soiled in darkness; charged by light. transgressions’ projection. i need angelic protection. [bridge] the dark surrounds, but the light is loud. sometimes shadows make things seem bigger. screens are dark before power is triggered. i foresee the nighttime within the daylight. i fall on a fine line between dark&light… that’s where i’m archived— between dark&light… this is my baseline between dark&light. life is prismatic. all of this is a chaotic crisis, but CHRIST is.
9.
vehicle 02:46
[verse 1] when others tried to crank me. it only made me cranky. it caused a lag in me— a fault in my engineering. clutched the wheel and slammed the brakes before they broke transmission to divinity that tunes each gauge. signals locked until the traction. [pre-chorus] my engine keeps stalling. you've got the manual to fix me. [chorus] you’re the vehicle for my love. without you, it has nowhere to run. no space to turn, and can’t turn over. you’re my licensed lover. i’d burn up this engine for you. you can be my mechanic when i do. i’m told to drive within my lane, but i’m all-terrain. [verse 2] can’t put me in automatic. no. maybe it’s [be]cause i like the control. trade trash for junk in the console. computer’s detecting my error codes. whenever my engine is breached, release the pedal, shifting gears. my motors work when traffic’s heavy, it’s [be]cause you cleared my lines of fears. [pre-chorus] pack your gear and zip your bags, then unzip folders; don’t hold tools back. [bridge] i’m in park in the dark. in reverse; i revert. without you, i’m not drivin[g]— i’m tired and not so driven. i feel neutral, highs, and lows. hazard lights on, i’m in the dark—run. i’m in drive, and i’m a wreck. lights are on for you to check.
10.
episode 02:56
[verse 1] depressive moments. if my mind was a television, i’d turn it off before broadcasting. we interrupt your scheduled program with a series of panic attacks. it is hacking in, trying to disrupt the grid. cyber bully and host. entering attacks on my own posts. [pre-chorus] lose sanity; get into character. hurting people i love—i’m a danger. [chorus] i’m animated—anxiety cameo. my mind feels like scribbles. controlling me is remote. i just want to cut the cable. sometimes i feel all alone. like they’re watching my episode. i’m channeling YOU, though. change this episode. satellites can’t project all my mind’s defects. [verse 2] anxious thoughts. try to be smart, but the ratings don’t depict complexity of mind. acting it out, rendering scenes, but does this picture convey the right words? this is the sequel; it won’t be equal… still feel hopeless sometimes. scrambled programs within my mind. [pre-chorus] shouldn’t have such energy; me, being so clumsy. [bridge] we’re comic comics. we’re graphic graphics. we’re hard to read [be]cause we’re so colorful. full of vibrant imagery. we’ll keep you laughing so print on our masking, and you’ll never know. on the inside pages, we critically critique our own. if the comedian is me, i guess you’re the joke. do you have tickets for putting on a show? what channel am i watchin[g]? what station do i go?
11.
triggers 03:22
[verse 1] attacked, but i’m your ally. reinforcement; hero and sidekick. both simultaneously. we’re a clique. retract. let’s be the alumni. [pre-chorus] your electricity shoots through my circuit veins, and in that instant, i simulate your pain. [chorus] these triggers were replaced from your controllers into my guns. disabling anything enabling anxiety. blow out the cartridges. clips of critical hits. these triggers were installed from your controllers into my guns. [verse 2] overstimulated. reading emotion. tracking using all my sensors. reboot. sighting in my scope to censor. vindicated. i’m aware of mental commotion. [pre-chorus] it’s vexing to me that i cannot undo. if i could change settings, i’d redo. [bridge] when i am triggered, i’m feeling faint; then all of our triggers begin to collaborate. like machine guns in my mind. firing through firewalls blind. what can restore me? YOU are uploading.
12.
glitch 03:03
[verse 1] i wish i could phase through pain, just like in the video games. i toggle between features attempting to understand myself better. i keep unplugging the wrong outlets. switching on and off the wrong emotions. [pre-chorus] i’m hyperactive— sensory overload. i’m wired, yet unplugged; i’ll make another note. [chorus] push help. it’s a duel. forging trials into tools. can’t seem to edit fate. i keep pressing escape. put [th]em in my toolbox. stoning me—glitches like rocks. a glitch can be a gateway for us to recalibrate. [verse 2] my skillset is expanding. the irony is that life is killing. anxiety is the plug-in that my mind uses and abuses. i kept searching for chaos, but through all of it found solace. [pre-chorus] stop meddling with my spirit. i’ll keep re-spawning. becoming unapologetic. [bridge] YOU’re initializing me. formatting who i’ll be. destroy myself at my will, but only to rebuild. where there is a glitch, i need to upgrade it. i know through absolution and truth that i’m saved by YOU and to YOU. i need to read and analyze that text to prepare for what comes next. even when there’s a glitch in my mind, YOU give me infinite life. [outro] i’m still coding, but not how i was previously…
13.
screw 03:09
[verse 1] error when you try to redirect me to your domain; i’ll deflect. draw “positive” from evilness. claim “negative” of holiness. [pre-chorus] just an observation— not discrimination. don’t you reprimand it if you don’t understand it. [chorus] i screwed up another. call me a screwdriver. don’t bother attempting, you won’t destroy me. learning where your bolts are; i’m unscrewing the parts. screw the system. disrupt connections. screw the system. jam the signals. screw the machine [verse 2] search morals, you’ll get results. browse evils, it’ll pop up windows. anything links to everything. breathing connects to dying. [pre-chorus] but, why are we diminishing time with petty things. if only GOD can judge that, you better have the faith to match. [bridge] try me. attempt to overload my system with your agenda. refused to accept and download. rejected; security up. have i really learned, or deceived further? silence is a playground for sounds. violence is unfair grounds for doubts. screw you. screw that, too. we’re screwed.
14.
jewel 04:00
[verse 1] already damaged by malware, i put myself in idle unaware. we both instantly clicked. didn't know but required it. with time our data was exchanged. further in my hard drive; went insane. engrossed in my server, thought the solution was murder. [pre-chorus] attacking my programs—malfunction.  troubleshooting all my functions. why are you so precious? and, why do i care to notice? [chorus] i am a machine not capable of love— didn't [want to] be. you’re a jewel. keep me oscillating. it’s so confusing.  wanted to remain in the rough— this is not computing. you’re my medium. you’re a prism. you’re a jewel. backing me up; saving. [verse 2] time elapsed… saved on my desktop; i couldn't move you off. memory was full, had to send it to you before my system overloaded. i'll be your virus protection when they try to hack in. broke like a geode, but understood barriers before i never could. [pre-chorus] you have compatible software, and the correct hardware. you're such a rare find, and i'm mining—you’re mine. [bridge] all my files are corrupting,  but you’re repairing me. you’ve made a jewel of me when i was rough previously. you are my rock; now we play different roles. together we are tumbled, creating precious stones. knit your fingers into mine. embed your digits; intertwine. fusing birthstones. destined souls.
15.
mechanical 03:27
[verse 1] call me insensitive, or maybe just realistic. comes across as brutal wit. you seem like a dramatic skit. your system is crashin[g]. you’re reprogrammed within. robotic; no regard for feelin[g]s. you can’t handle the logic. think you require synthetics. circuits bent, it’s pathetic. [pre-chorus] leaving viruses in others’ computers; they don’t even care if they’re transmitters. [chorus] change the mechanics. new protocol. restart from panic. it’s mechanical. recovery activism. defense mechanisms. i’m shutting down, but i’ll still shut you down. i was in sleep mode, but i can switch to kill mode. i am in a mood. is this safe mode? [verse 2] disruption caused friction. imaginary feud—simulation. thoughts attack; rebellion. overrides me with emotions. all i feel is disconnection. substitute nonfiction with fiction. my distraught—your recreation. fleeing is your mission. opposing text—false caption. didn’t plan the chain reaction. [bridge] logical state of mind. emotional state of mind. exercising demons in my gymnasium— don’t try dominating my cranium. surging through my circuits. teaming myself is chaotic. speed. flight. power. fight.

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released November 20, 2020

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Zachx Pensacola, Florida

Jesus. Artist. Therapist.

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