a magnetic feeling drags me around

it's got these feelers underground

and someone's stuck metal in the soles of my shoes

it picks up shit along the way, loose change, paper clips

and the bobby pin from some girl's tantrum

where she shook her head till the hairpins flew

it flies to and fro, running me into people, running me into

pavement, and for as fast as it's going

sometimes people look at me like i'm

going in slow motion

but i just shrug, like, 'hey, what can you do?

i've got magnets on my feet and i'm stuck to the underground'

sometimes i pick up whispers from off the subway beneath

the sounds ring through the steel cars, and some metal

flakes off and sticks to them

not a lot, just enough for me to hear

the tail ends of conversations and the opening lines of others

and sometimes i can hear them talking about me

jealous i don't have to pay fare

nervous they're going to be seen near me

disgusted because who the fuck wears magnets on their feet?

i didn't really ask for this, lady with the fur stole

i didn't really ask for this, girl with the nose piercing

but i've gotta admit, it's pretty convenient

and i've got a lot of metallic knowledge trailing after me now