You Don't Owe Me Anything

I look at the telephone and hope that you will ring
In the morning I wonder where you are
But I find other things to do.
Things are going pretty well for me
I don’t expect anything from you.

Birdsongs sound less sweet now
And the cold rain drives harder against my coat
But I make my way home and
You don’t owe me anything.

The coffee tastes less sweet when I am alone;
And I keep my thoughts mainly to myself---
Still the day goes from morning until evening
And after all you don’t owe me anything.

To sleep is more difficult and the night less quiet;
The world still spins but some of its magic is gone
But I am not unhappy.
And you don’t owe me anything.

You don’t owe me anything
Though there are times I wish
I could call out to you or reach for your hand
There are so many more things I would like to show you,
But I don’t expect anything from you.

There are days when I cannot stop thinking of you;
The hills look so dark, and the road is ragged
But I am making my way alone.

Perhaps life is less vivid
And the music not as easy to bear
My memory too easily fills with you
But I am growing stronger day by day
And you don’t owe me anything.

I truly wonder how things are going for you,
Give me a call if you ever get the time,
I would be happy just to hear your voice.
But you don’t owe me anything.

(After Steven Eicher’s ‘Tu m'as doit Rien’)