Terminal Velocity

Terminal Velocity is the third song I wrote for my EP. I remember this song being very difficult to write. While every song I wrote last year had its complications, Terminal Velocity was the hardest to work through.

Throughout my time in my Creative Writing 2 class I developed an internal editor. Having an internal editor is very important for catching inconsistencies, grammatical errors, or anything that would be distracting to someone who is reviewing your piece. I think Terminal Velocity is where I let my "editing mode" interfere with my first draft work. I overthought every line and struggled so hard to make the song perfect that I had a lot of trouble creating the song at all. It is important to be self aware but if you don't let yourself write down any lines you'll never have a piece to share. Eventually I finished the song, and so now I can present to you Terminal Velocity:

I’ve been climbing up for all my life.

This rope has tension that I can’t fight.

Gravity is pulling me,

I need help, choosing

I don’t know if I can pull myself higher.

Should I keep climbing up?

I’ve forgotten what’s at the top.

Should I be done,

And throw my hands up to the sun?

But if I drop,

will the rope turn slack?

Will it stab me in the back?

I’ll be under attack.

No harness to hold me out of the traitor’s reach.

What I thought was success, can no longer be seen.

I’ve been holding on for all my life.

This rope has tension that I can’t fight.

Gravity is pulling me,

I need help, choosing.

I don’t know if I should drop lower.

I thought the rules of gravity didn’t apply.

That I’d be carried, straight to cloud nine.

I still sit, in my predicament;

Because under me is probably cement.

But above me, I don’t know if there is anything left.

Should I keep reaching for my comfort zone,

or drop to the unknown?

I’ve been holding on for all my life.

This rope has tension that I can’t fight.

Gravity is pulling me,

I need help, choosing

I am hanging, from my rope.

My hands are breaking, but still I hold.

Is there less damage in letting go?

I wrote Terminal Velocity about an internal struggle of having to choose between continuing on the same path you've been traveling almost your whole life, or letting go and trying something new. I made a metaphor of climbing a rope. The goal is always to make it to the top, but sometimes we get so focused on the obvious goal we don't stop to think about what is actually more beneficial: making it to the top or climbing down and moving on to something new.

I did not realize how sad the last verse of this song was until I was presenting it to my Creative Writing class, but I wanted to let the listener decide for themself what the right choice was so I used a rhetorical question to leave the song open ended. I love creating personal songs because somehow the more personal and detailed you are the more people relate. However, I didn't want to influence anyone listening to this song into the wrong decision. I also hadn't made a decision for myself yet, therefor it was easier for me to leave the question unanswered (lol).

My final step in creating Terminal Velocity was to actually come up with the title. I knew I wanted the title to make you think a little bit, but also relay the them of being in a limbo, pergatory-esque state. The title came from my friend Lyne, who was in my Creative Writing 2 and AP Physics class. Terminal Velocity, is the instant when you are in free fall and the downward force of gravity is equal to the upward force of the air. the forces cancel and there is a split instant where you are stopped mid-air. Thanks Lyne.

I hope you enjoyed my song Terminal Velocity.

Until next time,

thanks for yielding!

Alexis