Broken Window

The gap beneath the board on my window is open to the world
And it lets me see the cold yellows clear as day
When I’m lying on my floor I can barely make a sound

The gap beneath the board on my window is cold as everywhere
One day I’ll fill the room with my white easel marks
Splash on the paint on, some day soon they’ll tear it down

The gap beneath the board on my window lets me hear the birds
They sing all through the night, dawn chorus at two
When the world is woken by the broken melody they’ve found

The gap beneath the board on my window
The gap beneath my window where I’m contained
There’s so much to do and so little to say

The gap beneath my boarded up window
The terror that I have just to snap out of it
The violent times are the stillest

Just get out of my room
Stop coming here and taking my stuff
I bought it, I bought it for me and not for you
At least for a couple of hours at least I have it
At least the un-paid-for grey wood is living here still
Blotting out the light, hiding my shame from passers-by
Maybe I’ll lock my door tonight
Sit on the floor on the cushion I brought from home
And simply stare
Breathe
Listen
To the gap beneath the board on my window.