We Said Never Again

One-thirteen again
We said never again
This time I let it ring

Your name lit blue—one thirteen
I knew I should let silence win
I miss your voice came through the line
I drove there before half past one
Your perfume stayed on my denim coat
Your spare key stayed beside my own
Morning found the same two people
Calling damage something known

We burn it down, then name it closure
Lonely pulls the ashes closer

We said never again
You said, Stay
Never again
Same old goodbye, same debt to pay
Sorry kept opening the door
We said never again—one time more

Saved your number under Don't Pick Up
Told my mama we were through
Put your key inside an envelope
Still kept one corner open for you
Next Friday, one-thirteen returned
Phone shook hard against the sink
I watched your name go dark at last
And heard myself begin to think

No fire
No grand goodbye
No closure
I let the quiet pull me closer

We said never again
You said, Stay
Never again
Same old goodbye, same debt to pay
Sorry kept opening the door
We said never again—one time more

I left your key beneath the awning
Name-side down, no note inside
Lonely sounded just like fate
Whenever I took that drive
But fate don't buzz at one thirteen
Or wait outside a door
I heard the phone
I felt the want
I didn't go once more

We said never again
You said, Stay
Never again
I left your key and walked away
Some sorry words should close the door
We said never again—no one time more

One-thirteen passed
No headlights
No key
This time I let it ring
Never again