Lyric

You left your coat

On the back of the chair

I took that small sign

Like it meant you cared

I kept my hands

Loose at my side

Gave you the room

To choose me in time

You said my name

Only when needed

I heard the space

Underneath it receding

I did not move

Closer than pride

I let the wanting

Stay quiet inside

I could have asked

I could have made it plain

But asking for warmth

Makes the warmth feel changed

I could have reached

Across the blue

But I wanted the turn

To come from you

Don’t make me ask

To matter to you

Don’t make me point

To the empty room

I wanted your hand

Before I explained

Wanted your eyes

Before I named the ache

Don’t make me ask

To be kept in mind

Don’t make me stand

At the end of the line

I held my mouth

Like it had no need

But all of my quiet

Was asking underneath

I made it simple

To leave me unsure

Smiled at the distance

And called it mature

I saved you trouble

Before it began

Made myself easy

To misunderstand

You never had to

Carry my weight

I moved my hunger

Away from your plate

But something in me

Waited all night

For you to notice

The unspoken light

I could have told you

Where it hurt

But I wanted care

Before the words

I could have broken

The silence in two

But I wanted the choice

To rise out of you

Don’t make me ask

To matter to you

Don’t make me point

To the empty room

I wanted your hand

Before I explained

Wanted your eyes

Before I named the ache

Don’t make me ask

To be kept in mind

Don’t make me stand

At the end of the line

I held my mouth

Like it had no need

But all of my quiet

Was asking underneath

Maybe I thought

Love should arrive

Before I made

A case for my life

Maybe I thought

You would just know

Which part of me

Was starting to close

I wanted to be

Chosen in silence

Not as a favor

Not as compliance

Not after proof

Not after the plea

Just by the way

You looked back at me

Don’t make me ask

To matter to you

Don’t make me point

To the empty room

I wanted your hand

Before I explained

Wanted your eyes

Before I named the ache

Don’t make me ask

To be kept in mind

Don’t make me stand

At the end of the line

I held my mouth

Like it had no need

But all of my quiet

Was asking underneath

You left your coat

On the back of the chair

I left my want

In the unspoken air