You Didn't Stand in the Doorway (639 Hz)

CosmicBoogeyman

Appalachian folk, modern hip-hop, deep-house

[SCREEN DOOR CREAK]

[ACOUSTIC — FINGERPLUCK]

[FEMALE VOICE]
I know where the door is.

That's never
Been the problem.

[VERSE 1]
You always walked
Straight toward the question.

I learned to circle
Everything I felt.

You'd put the truth
Right there between us.

I'd need a minute
Somewhere by myself.

And a minute
Turned to evening.

Evening
Turned to days.

Funny how
"I need some time"

Can slowly
Learn your name.

Silence looks simple
From the outside.

Inside—

It's a crowded room.

Every word
I haven't spoken

Standing there
Asking what I'll do.

[HOUSE PULSE ENTERS]

[PRE-CHORUS]
Then you came once.

No demands.

No pulling
At my hands.

You left the door unlocked—

And walked away.

[CHORUS]
YOU DIDN'T STAND
IN THE DOORWAY.

You didn't make me
Choose your way.

You didn't chase me
Through the silence.

Didn't beg me
To explain.

And somehow
That made it harder—

'Cause there's nothing
Left to fight.

You left the door
Unlocked behind you...

Then went back
To your life.

[FIDDLE ANSWERS]

[UPRIGHT + SUB]

[VERSE 2]
I've missed somebody
And stayed gone.

Try explaining
That one clean.

The heart can know
Exactly what it wants

And still not know
What wanting means.

Coming back
Ain't crossing distance.

It's admitting
Leaving didn't solve

Every question
I packed neatly

In the boxes
By the wall.

Because seeing you
Means seeing me.

And you've always
Done that part too well.

You never needed
To expose me.

You just asked something—

And I heard myself.

[PRE-CHORUS]
Maybe that's why
I came closer.

Maybe that's why
I would run.

You made another life
Look possible—

Before I knew
I wanted one.

[CHORUS]
YOU DIDN'T STAND
IN THE DOORWAY.

You didn't tell me
What to choose.

You didn't turn
Your love into

Something
I could blame on you.

And somehow
That made it harder—

No pressure
I can fight.

You left the door
Unlocked behind you...

Then went back
To your life.

[VERSE 3 — HIP-HOP POCKET]
I've watched you
Become more yourself.

And damn—

That's an uncomfortable mirror.

'Cause watching somebody
Stop asking permission

Makes your own choices
A little clearer.

Am I becoming too?

Or getting better
At defending

A life I built
Because I know it—

Not because
I'd choose its ending?

You disrupt
What I call stable.

Then somehow
Underneath the noise

You make me wonder
If stability

Can also include
A choice.

And maybe
That's what scares me.

Not losing
What I knew.

Maybe somewhere
Past disruption

There's a life
I'd have to choose.

[BEAT CUT]

[BRIDGE — MOUNTAIN DULCIMER]

VOICE:
Do you miss him?

HER:
That's easy.

VOICE:
Do you love him?

[PAUSE]

HER:
That's not
The hardest question.

VOICE:
Then what is?

[LONG SILENCE]

HER:
Could I walk back

Without becoming
Who I was?

[LOW UPRIGHT NOTE]

VOICE:
And could he?

HER:
He'd have to.

[HOUSE KICK RETURNS]

[FINAL VERSE]
If I ever
Walk back toward you,

It can't be
Because tonight got lonely.

Can't be memory
Dressed like destiny.

Can't be stars
Deciding for me.

Can't be because
I miss familiar.

Can't be fear
Of losing you.

I'd have to come
Because I'm ready

To tell you
Something true.

Before silence
Becomes distance.

Before fear
Decides the road.

Before I disappear
Inside myself

And call
The hiding home.

And you would have
To meet me different.

Not rescuing.

Not pursuing.

Two people
At the same damn door—

Both knowing
What they're choosing.

[FINAL CHORUS]
YOU DIDN'T STAND
IN THE DOORWAY!

You didn't ask me
To come through!

You didn't make
Your love a debt

That I was somehow
Owing you!

You left me
With the hardest thing—

No enemy.
No fight.

Just an open door...

A quiet room...

And the question
Of my life.

[INSTRUMENTS DROP]

[OUTRO — ACOUSTIC]

You left the door unlocked.

[SCREEN DOOR SPRING]

You didn't stand
In the doorway.

[FOOTSTEP]

And you kept walking.

[SECOND FOOTSTEP]

I don't know yet
What I'm supposed
To do with that.

[LONG SILENCE]

But...

[FIDDLE — ONE NOTE]

It isn't nothing.

[HOUSE HEARTBEAT]

THUMP.

[END]

3996/7500

[SCREEN DOOR CREAK] [ACOUSTIC — FINGERPLUCK] [FEMALE VOICE] I know where the door is. That's never Been the problem. [VERSE 1] You always walked Straight toward the question. I learned to circle Everything I felt. You'd put the truth Right there between us. I'd need a minute Somewhere by myself. And a minute Turned to evening. Evening Turned to days. Funny how "I need some time" Can slowly Learn your name. Silence looks simple From the outside. Inside— It's a crowded room. Every word I haven't spoken Standing there Asking what I'll do. [HOUSE PULSE ENTERS] [PRE-CHORUS] Then you came once. No demands. No pulling At my hands. You left the door unlocked— And walked away. [CHORUS] YOU DIDN'T STAND IN THE DOORWAY. You didn't make me Choose your way. You didn't chase me Through the silence. Didn't beg me To explain. And somehow That made it harder— 'Cause there's nothing Left to fight. You left the door Unlocked behind you... Then went back To your life. [FIDDLE ANSWERS] [UPRIGHT + SUB] [VERSE 2] I've missed somebody And stayed gone. Try explaining That one clean. The heart can know Exactly what it wants And still not know What wanting means. Coming back Ain't crossing distance. It's admitting Leaving didn't solve Every question I packed neatly In the boxes By the wall. Because seeing you Means seeing me. And you've always Done that part too well. You never needed To expose me. You just asked something— And I heard myself. [PRE-CHORUS] Maybe that's why I came closer. Maybe that's why I would run. You made another life Look possible— Before I knew I wanted one. [CHORUS] YOU DIDN'T STAND IN THE DOORWAY. You didn't tell me What to choose. You didn't turn Your love into Something I could blame on you. And somehow That made it harder— No pressure I can fight. You left the door Unlocked behind you... Then went back To your life. [VERSE 3 — HIP-HOP POCKET] I've watched you Become more yourself. And damn— That's an uncomfortable mirror. 'Cause watching somebody Stop asking permission Makes your own choices A little clearer. Am I becoming too? Or getting better At defending A life I built Because I know it— Not because I'd choose its ending? You disrupt What I call stable. Then somehow Underneath the noise You make me wonder If stability Can also include A choice. And maybe That's what scares me. Not losing What I knew. Maybe somewhere Past disruption There's a life I'd have to choose. [BEAT CUT] [BRIDGE — MOUNTAIN DULCIMER] VOICE: Do you miss him? HER: That's easy. VOICE: Do you love him? [PAUSE] HER: That's not The hardest question. VOICE: Then what is? [LONG SILENCE] HER: Could I walk back Without becoming Who I was? [LOW UPRIGHT NOTE] VOICE: And could he? HER: He'd have to. [HOUSE KICK RETURNS] [FINAL VERSE] If I ever Walk back toward you, It can't be Because tonight got lonely. Can't be memory Dressed like destiny. Can't be stars Deciding for me. Can't be because I miss familiar. Can't be fear Of losing you. I'd have to come Because I'm ready To tell you Something true. Before silence Becomes distance. Before fear Decides the road. Before I disappear Inside myself And call The hiding home. And you would have To meet me different. Not rescuing. Not pursuing. Two people At the same damn door— Both knowing What they're choosing. [FINAL CHORUS] YOU DIDN'T STAND IN THE DOORWAY! You didn't ask me To come through! You didn't make Your love a debt That I was somehow Owing you! You left me With the hardest thing— No enemy. No fight. Just an open door... A quiet room... And the question Of my life. [INSTRUMENTS DROP] [OUTRO — ACOUSTIC] You left the door unlocked. [SCREEN DOOR SPRING] You didn't stand In the doorway. [FOOTSTEP] And you kept walking. [SECOND FOOTSTEP] I don't know yet What I'm supposed To do with that. [LONG SILENCE] But... [FIDDLE — ONE NOTE] It isn't nothing. [HOUSE HEARTBEAT] THUMP. THUMP. [END]

0/500