Zero Torque

[Chorus]
Zero torque, nominal stress
Felt the gear train mesh, I guess

[Verse 1]
The pilot light on the Bridgeport mill is holding a steady blue
Fourth of October, 4 AM, listening to the hum of something new
All those years of grinding, fitting, turning metal on the lathe
Just to feel the main shaft spin inside its quiet, greased-up sheath

[Chorus]
Zero torque, nominal stress
Felt the gear train mesh, I guess

[Verse 2]
Dad used to say, "Phyllis, it's a pipe dream of polished gears."
The cold on this micrometer still feels like all those frozen Erie piers
Every last schematic curling at the edges on my floor
Every hairline fracture I was always searching for

[Bridge]
(A crowd of whispered vocals begin, panned wide, rhythmic)
(point-oh-one tolerance... too much slop... check the shim...)
(recalibrate... fatigue point... shear stress... back to the start...)
A distant train horn blows a low and lonesome F

[Chorus]
Zero torque, nominal stress
Felt the whole machine say "yes"

[Outro]
Just floating on air now
Just floating