Soft Shoes

Original English lyrics

[Verse 1]
The bell panel came back
with plastic strips.
Numbers where the names were.
Rain in the stairwell.
My finger stops
one button too soon.

[Hook]
Soft shoes.
Hall light.
Thin walls.
No click.
My key turns
under my coat.

[Verse 2]
Mrs Vale from two
carries milk upstairs.
The bottles knock once
against the wall.
She waits for the bulb
to blink out
before she speaks.

[Verse 3]
A new card hangs
above the post boxes.
Residents are reminded.
Lower voices after nine.
Someone has underlined
voices.

[Hook]
Soft shoes.
Hall light.
Thin walls.
No click.
My key turns
under my coat.

[Break]
A child has drawn a sun
beside flat eight.
Yellow chalk.
One ray smudged.
The cleaner leaves it
until Friday.

[Verse 4]
At ten I leave a cup
outside flat three.
No name on the door.
The chain presses
against my wrist.
I ease the door shut
with my palm.
No click.