The Hand That Stays Out

Verse 1

The weight is not a thing you put down It's a room you learn to stand in The floor holds, the walls hold The door holds its shape in the dark I kept the ledger of what left I counted the years like plates The names are worn into the wood Where the light has touched them soft

Chorus

Here is the hand that reaches out And stays out Not the hand that takes Not the hand that lets go Here is the hand that reaches out And stays out

Verse 2

Here is the kitchen, here is the kettle Here is the chair where the weight sat The light is the same light, the room is the same room I am not the same The child said in the future The hand will not have to let go It will stay out, she said Like a door that learned to stay open

Turn

(spoken, the bed drops) She said, that sounds right I said, I will be there I said, I will hold the door

Chorus

Here is the hand that reaches out And stays out Not the hand that takes Not the hand that lets go Here is the hand that reaches out And stays out

Outro

The same hand that carried The same hand that held The same hand, lighter The same hand, lighter