Leaving Waltz

Chair legs scrape three slow beats Turn my chair toward the room Mae Leave the shutters halfway down The morning coach can find me Tonight I'm still part of this crowd My daughter cleared a room for me put my records by the bed She says the kettle only whistles if you lift the handle first I know the road I'll take tomorrow I know which case goes on the coach But nobody has to call this leaving till we sing the one we know Mae dries both hands upon her apron Someone opens up the piano I tap the table with my knuckles "Give me the one we always know" Sing it past the door past the baker's early light Keep this old waltz turning when I step outside tonight No speeches on the pavement Let the tabletop keep time Sing it past the door for me I'll carry every line I first came in with factory dust sewn grey along my sleeve I knew the words to order soup none for what I'd left behind Ada worked the kitchen then She sang above us clear and high She taught me every word by pointing then laughed when I outran the rhyme After Ada's funeral no one tried her upper line Every chorus thinned above us just before the final rhyme