Seven Steps to the Wall
Jane Siberry
Seven steps to the wall
And turn around
Seven steps to the window
Turn around
Three steps to the table
Step around
Move the chair 'til it is square
And then sit down
Don't turn around
There
Is a man
In a room
Empty place
There's a wall
A table
And a chair
His face
He wants to write something down
He wants to sing a song
Or paint something
Lie down and fade away
Or get up and get away
To the beat of marching feet
In the heat of prison heat
There
There's the sun
Through the bars
Cutting swathes
Lighting dust
I love dust
That it's there
That it falls
He wants to write something down
He wants to sing a song
Or paint something
Lie down and fade away
Or get up and get away
To the beat of marching feet
In the heat of prison heat
There
There's this choir
Sometimes here
In my head
Perfect note
That divides
All the rest
What I face
I want to write something down
He wants to sing a song
Or paint something
Lie down and fade away
Or get up and get away
To the beat of marching feet
In the heat of prison heat
Seven steps to the wall
And turn around
Seven steps to the window
Turn around
Three steps to the table
Step around
Move the chair 'til it is square
And then sit down
Don't turn around
There
Is a man
In a room
Empty place
There's a wall
A table
Some paper
His face
He wants to write something down
He wants to sing a song
Or paint something
Lie down and fade away
Or get up and get away
To the beat of marching feet
In the heat of prison heat
There
All my life
Where there's white
I have words
So I write
What I hear
Perfect white
With no words
It is thin
But it's clear
It is thin but it's clear