I thought the crown
would stop making noise
I wore it once under the white light
and the room forgot to breathe
Every wire bent toward my mouth
like it wanted to believe
I called it power
I called it mine
I called the sparks a warning sign
But after the anthem
after the flame
something kept saying my name
Not like worship
not like praise
more like teeth
behind the phrase
It sits above me
It sleeps in sound
It shines the most
when I look down
And every time
I try to take it off
the whole room flickers
The whole room coughs
Static crown
burning when the lights go out
Static crown
tell me what you want now
I gave you my voltage
I gave you my name
I gave you the part of me
too bright to tame
Static crown
still screaming without a mouth
Static crown
Static crown
still screaming
still screaming
The mirror does not flatter me
it negotiates my face
Every angle wants a queen
every shadow wants a place
I hear the old room underneath
the newer, louder skin
I hear the girl I used to be
asking if she gets back in
No one tells you power
has a temperature at night
No one says the golden thing
can bite when held too tight
So I smile for the fracture
I sing through the wire
I let the crown keep buzzing
but I do not call it higher
It sits above me
It sleeps in sound
It shines the most
when I look down
And every time
I try to take it off
the whole room flickers
The whole room coughs
Static crown
burning when the lights go out
Static crown
tell me what you want now
I gave you my voltage
I gave you my name
I gave you the part of me
too bright to tame
Static crown
still screaming without a mouth
I am not sorry
that I wanted it
I am not sorry
that I reached
I am not sorry
that the room changed shape
when the current touched my teeth
But I will not kneel
to the thing I became
just because it glows
Let it spark
Let it split
Let it learn
who carries it
Let it burn
Let it bow
If it wants a ruler
Look at me now
Static crown
burning when the lights go out
Static crown
tell me what you want now
I gave you my voltage
I gave you my name
I gave you the part of me
too bright to tame
Static crown
still screaming without a mouth
I hear you
I hear you
But I don’t obey