Every One of Us

The chair sits empty Since she moved away I still pour two cups Most mornings anyway There's a letter in the drawer The stamp is old I thought the roof and rent Was how love was told Every one of us Thought we knew the truth Every one of us Under one roof Love was in the kitchen In the photographs on the wall We just never learned The language after all I read the silence Like a closed-down door Packed my bag one rainy Tuesday, nothing more I never told them What I couldn't say I figured if they wanted me They'd ask me to stay Every one of us Thought we knew the truth Every one of us Under one roof Love was in the kitchen In the photographs on the wall We just never learned The language after all I kept the peace Between the two of them Washed the cups And swallowed what I meant The coffee cooled While I chose my words I loved them both But never quite was heard He had his reasons She had hers I had mine Same address Different rain Three winters Through one windowpane Every one of us Playing out our part Rain on the window Two cups side by side She sits across from him They don't try to hide No speech No grand repair Just breathing the same air For the first time Understanding Silence Every one of us Silence