[VERSE 1] I had the green removed at noon it cheapened brass and walnut grain the contractor asked where it pointed I said the wall looked better plain The floor plan slept behind the flowers the fire door latched soft and clean by evening every route to leaving looked like someone else’s scheme [PRE-CHORUS] No lock (no lock) no chain (no chain) no guard asleep Just one instruction I declined to keep (look away) [CHORUS] No exit sign (wrong shade) no urgent green (too loud) nothing vulgar in the scheme The door swung wide (still there) I stayed behind (by design) I made escape look out of line No exit sign no urgency just polished walls agreeing with me The way was clear the choice was mine I made remaining look designed [VERSE 2] I set smoked glass across the arrows dark enough to mute the green at 2:17 the current failed the hidden route lit through the screen The blackout stripped the room to code the arrows surfaced through the sheen and led me down the service staircase by the route I’d kept unseen [PRE-CHORUS] No smoke (no smoke) no flame (no flame) no code to blame The panic bar gave way exactly as designed (it worked) [CHORUS] No exit sign (wrong shade) no urgent green (too loud) nothing vulgar in the scheme The door swung wide (still there) I stayed behind (by design) I made escape look out of line No exit sign no urgency just polished walls agreeing with me The way was clear the choice was mine I made remaining look designed [BRIDGE] Outside, taxis stitched the rain the river doubled every light nothing waited with a weapon nothing promised I’d be right I stood there with the door half-open counted seven breaths of street then pulled it shut before the pavement learned the weight beneath my feet By morning I had filed a complaint about the brightness of the green The inspector praised the visibility I stood where the arrow couldn’t point [FINAL CHORUS] No exit sign (no one confined) no urgent green nothing vulgar in the scheme The door swung wide I stayed behind I made escape look out of line No exit sign no fault to find the building passed at half past nine (approved) The route was clear the choice was mine I made remaining look designed (by design) [OUTRO] The inspector signed (approved) The arrows held their line (still green) The exit worked exactly as designed I did not
