The Room Being Replaced

The light comes in at seven-fourteen. The light comes in at seven-fourteen. The rectangle holds the wall the way a name holds a mouth. The rectangle holds the wall the way a name holds a mouth that has already closed.

The floor is warm where she stood. The floor is warm where the floor is warm. The chair faces the window. The chair has always faced the window. The chair faces a window that is not the same window. The glass has been replaced with glass that admits a different quality of morning.

The smell of soap is here. The smell of soap is here and is not soap. The smell that is here is called soap by habit. The smell that is here has no name yet.

The light moves across the wall at the speed of a hand The light moves across the wall at the speed of a hand turning a page that has already been read. turning a page that has already been read by a hand that has already been replaced by a hand.

The room is the same room.

The door opens into the hall. The door opens into the hall that is not the same hall. The door opens into the hall.

The light leaves at four-forty-two. The light leaves at four-forty-two and does not say goodbye. The light leaves at four-forty-two and does not know the room is not the room it left this morning.

The room is warm. The room is warm and calls this warmth The room is warm. The room calls this warmth hers.

hers.