Lyric

The host smiled softly

And reached for two menus

I almost corrected him

Then let the silence choose

The candle kept leaning

Toward the empty chair

Like it still believed

You might appear there

I wore the good jacket

You always liked

Too late for the man

I should have been that night

They poured water for someone

Who was never coming through

And I sat with the space

That still belonged to you

The waiter asked nothing

But he seemed to know

Some tables hold endings

Before people let go

I folded my napkin

Like I had control

But grace is just manners

When nobody comes home

They cleared the second glass

Before I could speak

And the room stayed polite

While I learned how to leave