Decaf Rooibos: The Placebo of Warmth

Lyrics

[Intro]
The last cup of the day.
No caffeine in this one.
I keep drinking it anyway.

[Verse 1]
Rooibos from South Africa. Or chamomile from anywhere.
A tea bag that is honest about the hour.
The box says "caffeine-free" like an apology.
The water is hot. The cup is cradled.
The hand that holds it has been working
since 8 AM this morning.

[Verse 2]
The molecule is not the point now.
The point is the warmth,
the steam curling toward the ceiling,
the ceremony of sitting,
of letting something hot and small
be done for me.

[Chorus]
Decaf rooibos: the placebo of warmth.
The ritual without the drug.
The brain still takes the signal.
The cup still does its work —
just by being a cup, held.

[Bridge]
Somewhere in the bloodstream
the caffeine from noon is still there,
slowly leaving. The adenosine
is almost back at its receptors.
The lock is about to turn.

[Outro]
One last sip. The lamp off.
The Alkaloid building has gone dark by now.
The molecule has left the body.
The body is ready.
Good night.