10 Listens Through

I was your favorite song

the first time you heard me
you weren’t sure what to think
so you listened again

I became your soundtrack
humming in the background
blasting in the car,
an infectious beat in your brain

after a while, I started to get repetitive,
like a broken record
annoying,
tired,
but you finally figured out
the quick bit in the middle
it only took you
10 listens through
to understand what I was trying to say

now you hardly ever hear me
but when I come on the radio
you won’t admit it
but you’ll turn the volume up
little by little

you don’t  realize
but your foot is
tap
                   tap
tapping
and you’ve remembered
that quick bit in the middle
it only took you
10 listens through
to understand what I was trying to say