Before the Elevator

Before the Elevator

Box marked kitchen by the lobby wall
Keys heavy in my hand
You keep asking if I'm ready
Like ready is something people plan
Elevator opens, nobody moves
Doors close on an empty ride
We have spent six weeks packing everything
Still haven't packed this goodbye

Before the Elevator, say what changed
Before the Elevator, say my name
The doors keep opening till we choose a floor
Before the Elevator, one truth more

Second car comes down and opens
Neighbor waits, so we step aside
You say maybe moving isn't leaving
I say maybe staying was the lie
We laugh because it sounds too sharp
Then neither one takes it back
All those boxes finally feel lighter
When the sentence leaves the stack

Change waits politely
Then closes doors anyway

Before the Elevator, say what changed
Before the Elevator, say my name
The doors keep opening till we choose a floor
Before the Elevator, one truth more

The move was never just the address
We knew that before today
The doors kept opening until we chose a floor
That box marked kitchen held the truth

Before the Elevator, doors open again
Before the Elevator, this is where we end
The doors kept opening till we chose a floor
Before the Elevator, no more
Before the Elevator, no more

Before the Elevator

Before the Elevator