What Remains in the Hall

The tiles are cold beneath the yellow light
I walked the corridor before the dawn
A metal ring taped down to keep it tight
To hold the paper before you were gone

I counted every dollar from the drawer
And left the folded seal against the pine
No reason left to bargain anymore
You take your share and I will carry mine

The chlorine vapor settles in the air
We traded quiet promises for space

What remains in the hall will wash away
A paid-up ledger and an open door
We gave each other what we could not say
And left our balance on the concrete floor

The envelope was damp around the edge
A careful figure scribbled in your hand

I signed the final notice on the ledge
The only closure we could understand

The water echoes in the empty lane
We paid the price to walk away clean

What remains in the hall will wash away
A paid-up ledger and an open door
We gave each other what we could not say
And left our balance on the concrete floor

I heard the locker slam
The morning shift begins
We settled every debt before the gate
And drew a line across the heavy years

Just paper drying on a narrow seat
Two strangers even on a balance sheet

What remains in the hall will wash away
A paid-up ledger and an open door
We gave each other what we could not say
And left our balance on the concrete floor

No debt between us now
The hallway clears
No debt between us now