5 and 1/2 Minute Hallway
Poe Lyrics

I live at the end of a 5 and 1/2 minute hallway
I am in a distant place, far away from the one I love, separated by a long, imaginary hallway that takes 5 and a half minutes to traverse.

But as far as I can see you are still miles from me
From my perspective, despite my best efforts, you are still very far away and inaccessible to me.

In your doorway
You are the barrier I must pass through to be with you, you control who enters and who exits.

And oh by the way
This is an aside, a tangent, that I feel compelled to mention.

When the landlord came today
The owner of the building arrived earlier today.

He measured everything
He examined the size and proportions of the room and its contents.

I knew he'd get it wrong
I anticipated that his measurements would be inaccurate.

But I just played along
Despite my apprehension, I didn't object or contest his measurement.

Cause I was hoping that he would fix it all
I hoped that he would make some adjustments or repairs to the area to make it more livable and accommodating.

But there's only so far I can go
There are limits to what I can do or achieve in this situation.

When you're living in a hallway that keeps growing
It's difficult to move forward when the hallway, this obstacle that separates us, keeps expanding and getting longer.

I think to myself
I ponder and reflect on the situation internally.

5 more minutes and I'll be there
If I persist and keep moving forward, I will soon arrive, in just 5 minutes.

But there's more to this story
There are aspects of this narrative that I have not yet revealed or disclosed.

Than I've been letting on
I have been concealing some details or withholding some information from you.

There are words made of letters
There are words, possibly written or spoken, that exist and convey meaning.

Unwritten
However, these words remain unsaid, unexpressed, or unacknowledged.

And yes I forgive you
Despite my previous grievances, I have let go of my anger and am now extending forgiveness to you.

For leading me on
For previously giving me false hope, leading me to believe that we could be together.

You can think of it like this
Here's an analogy, a comparison that may help you understand the situation better.

When you can't resist
When you are unable to hold yourself back from taking action.

I'm in your hallway standing on a cliff
I am vulnerable, exposed, and at risk of falling off the edge of the cliff that is your threshold.

And just when I think I've found the trick
When I believe I've discovered a solution, a way to overcome this barrier...

I'm tumbling
...I become overwhelmed, lose my balance, and suffer the consequences of my attempts to reach you.

Like an echo
This event reinforces the cycle of separation and distance that echoes and repeats over time.

'Cause there's only so far I can go
Again, I am limited by this insurmountable divide that cannot be easily closed or removed.

When you're living in a hallway that keeps growing
It's repetitive and frustrating to be trapped in this unmoving hallway that expands and perpetuates the separation between us.

I think to myself
Once more, I reflect internally on the predicament.

30 seconds and I'll be there
Despite the odds, I still retain hope that I can join you in just half a minute.