I’m sorry

Your keys in your hand, mine flat on the table, You said, “Tell the truth,” then said you weren’t able To sit through another excuse about my ways — I started with “Listen,” you looked at me sideways. Yeah, I went quiet. Yeah, I came late. Yeah, I let “I’m fine” do too much explaining. You asked what was wrong, I said, “Nothing, don’t worry,” Then wanted your patience when you finally heard me. That’s on me. I know how it looked. You had a whole list; I had things I mistook For keeping the peace, for not making it worse— Now everything buried comes out at the worst time. You said, “Why now? Why not last week?” I couldn’t give you an answer that wasn’t about me. Then you picked up your bag, and I stood there saying, “Wait, there’s one more thing”—but you weren’t staying. Chorus You closed the door while I was still explaining, Left me mid-sentence with the same shit remaining. I said, “I didn’t mean—” then I heard your car start. Never got to the end, but you got to the hard part. Now I talk to your side of an empty room, Got a thousand right words coming too late for you. You were tired of waiting; I was finally saying What you needed before— You closed the door while I was still explaining. Verse 2 Two seventeen, got your chat pulled up, Type, “Can we talk?” then delete that stuff. Write a whole damn page, read it back twice— Too much about my hurt, not enough about why. You don’t need another “Baby, hear me out.” You heard me for months; I just hear it now. Every “not tonight,” every time I got short, Every time you asked and I made it a chore. But I wasn’t out loving somebody instead. I was right there beside you, stuck in my head. Doesn’t make it fair. Doesn’t make you wrong. I just wish I’d said it when you still wanted to know. Saw your friend yesterday; she asked how I’d been. Said, “Good,” out of habit. Did that shit again. Even with you gone, I still make it look easy— Then go home wishing somebody would believe me. Chorus You closed the door while I was still explaining, Left me mid-sentence with the same shit remaining. I said, “I didn’t mean—” then I heard your car start. Never got to the end, but you got to the hard part. Now I talk to your side of an empty room, Got a thousand right words coming too late for you. You were tired of waiting; I was finally saying What you needed before— You closed the door while I was still explaining. Bridge Maybe you knew what I was gonna say. Maybe one more minute wouldn’t make you stay. Maybe I wanted you to hear me through So I could feel better about losing you. And that’s the part I hate admitting: I wanted understanding without doing the listening. You’d been telling me goodbye for days. I only heard it when you walked away. Final Chorus You closed the door while I was still explaining, And I almost called just to say you should’ve waited. Had my thumb on your name, then I put it back down— You don’t owe me a minute ’cause I’m ready now. Still talk to your side of an empty room, Still catch myself saying, “Let me tell you the truth.” You were tired of waiting; I was finally saying What you needed before— You closed the door while I was still explaining. Outro “I didn’t mean to make you feel alone.” That was the rest of it. That’s what I couldn’t get out. But you did. You felt alone. And I’m finally hearing th