Toys in the Hallway

Blue truck on its side

Your phone lit up by the laundry basket
While the dryer turned our towels
Her name sat bright on the cracked black screen
Like a match inside this house
A plastic dinosaur guarded the doorway
With one green eye staring up at me
I wanted thunder, wanted suitcase wheels
But I heard our youngest turn in sleep

The night-light painted stars on the wall
While truth stood barefoot in the hall
I could not scream, I could not fall
Not with their dreams so small

Toys in the hallway, blue truck by the door
I stayed because they were watching
But small eyes copy what they saw
And they learn love by watching

Watching (watching)
Blue truck by the door
I stayed, I stayed
But quiet costs too much

Morning came wearing cartoon plates
Cereal moons in a plastic bowl
You kissed their heads like nothing happened
Then asked me why my coffee was cold
I packed two lunches, signed one form
Smiled at the teacher by the gate
Our oldest showed me a missing tooth
I almost broke right there and waved

Toys in the hallway, blue truck by the door
I stayed because they were watching
But small eyes copy what they saw
And they learn love by watching

I set my ring by the medicine cabinet
Beside the bandages and cream
Wrote three numbers on a napkin
One for the girl I used to be

Toys in the hallway, blue truck by the door
I stayed because they were watching
Now I speak because they are too
And they learn love by watching

Blue truck on its side
They learn love by watching