Sun in an Empty Room

Now that the furniture's returning to its Goodwill home

With dishes in last week's papers, rumours and elections, crosswords, an unending war

That blacken our fingers, smear their prints on every door pulled shut

Now that the last month's rent is scheming with the damage deposit

Take this moment to decide (Sun in an empty room)

If we meant it, if we tried (Sun in an empty room)

Or felt around for far too much (Sun in an empty room)

From things that accidentally touch (Sun in an empty room)

Hands that we nearly hold with pennies for the GST

The shoulders we lean our shoulders into on the subway, mutter an apology

The shins that we kick beneath the table, that reflexive cry

The faces we meet, one awkward beat too long, and terrify

Know the things we need to say (Sun in an empty room)

Have been said already anyway (Sun in an empty room)

By parallelograms of light (Sun in an empty room)

On walls that we repainted white (Sun in an empty room)

Sun in an empty room

Take eight minutes and divide (Sun in an empty room)

By ninety million lonely miles (Sun in an empty room)

And watch the shadow cross the floor (Sun in an empty room)

We don't live here anymore (Sun in an empty room)