Maggie Rosewood - After Everyone Goes Home

The last car disappeared

A little while ago

I watched the taillights fade away

Through the falling snow

There’s dishes in the kitchen

And wrapping by the chair

And someone’s little stocking

Is still hanging over there

The house was full this morning

You could barely hear yourself

Now there’s just the refrigerator

And somebody’s forgotten bell

There’s footprints by the doorway

And coats that aren’t there now

Funny how a crowded house Can feel so different

somehow

After everyone goes home

And the hallway settles down

After all the Christmas laughter Is no longer in the house

I walk from room to room

And see the day we had

And for a little while I’m not ready

to be done with that

There’s a cup beside the sofa

A ribbon on the floor

A child’s drawing on the table

That wasn’t there before

The tree is still glowing

Though the room is mostly dark

And all the little pieces

Tell me where we were

After everyone goes home

And the hallway settles down

After all the Christmas laughter Is no longer in the house

I walk from room to room

And see the day we had

And for a little while I’m not ready to be done with

that

Maybe that’s what Christmas does

It gives us one small day

To fill the rooms with people

Thens quietly take them away But tomorrow all these little things Will

become memories

So tonight I’ll leave them where they are And let the house

remember me

After everyone goes home

And the whole world settles down

I can still hear the laughter Somewhere underneath the sound

The tree is still glowing

The snow is falling slow

And even though they’re gone tonight I don’t feel alone

Tomorrow I’ll clean everything

Tomorrow I’ll put things away

But tonight I’ll leave the Christmas lights on

A little longer than I should

today