KEYS ON THE COUNTER You said you wanted me to leave. I heard you. There's a bag beside the dresser, three shirts on the bed I keep folding up the same one, hearing things we said Found a little plastic bracelet tangled in the sleeve I don't even know which daughter put it there for me Your coffee mug is sitting where it always used to be I can see the two of us in every ordinary thing You said we can't keep doing this, I know that much is true I just never pictured packing up a life I built with you I could tell you how you hurt me, you could tell me what I broke We could drag another year through another cloud of smoke But you look tired of explaining, and I'm tired of being right So I pick the bag up slowly, and I don't put up a fight I used to love the sound of keys When you were coming through that door Now my hand is shaking over What we put them down here for Keys on the counter Right next to yours Same little sound that meant "stay with me" Means I don't live here anymore Keys on the counter My whole life behind that door I thought I knew what losing you meant Didn't know it could mean so much more So much more, so much more Keys on the counter I don't live here anymore Six laid tomorrow's outfit on the desk beside her bed Four's got dreams about a unicorn bigger than her head Two fell asleep with her toy phone tucked against her cheek Three little worlds that used to wake up looking first for me I walk the hallway one more time, the nightlights soft and gold I straighten out a blanket, brush the hair back from a brow I won't turn this into goodbye, won't wake 'em with my tears But I don't know the next time I'll be standing right here Downstairs there's a picture with five crooked little faces Held up by that magnet you made ages ago Ain't no way to fit a home inside a bag with broken zippers And there ain't a road that makes it easier to go I used to love the sound of keys When you were coming through that door Now my hand is shaking over What we put them down here for Keys on the counter Right next to yours Same little sound that meant "stay with me" Means I don't live here anymore Keys on the counter My whole life behind that door I thought I knew what losing you meant Didn't know it could mean so much more So much more, so much more Keys on the counter I don't live here anymore I told you once... "Make yourself at home." I meant it. I won't pretend I didn't hurt you Won't pretend you didn't try We've both said things that changed us And we've both run out of why I can learn to live without you Maybe one day I'll be fine But I don't know how to wake up Without three voices calling mine I'll still be their dad tomorrow No matter where I wake But tonight I'm leaving a kitchen Where we made their birthday cakes Keys on the counter Right next to yours Same little sound that meant "stay with me" Means I don't live here anymore Keys on the counter My whole life behind that door I thought I knew what losing you meant Didn't know it could mean so much more I didn't think this was how it ended. Please tell 'em I love 'em.
