It had been awhile
since we opened that rooms door
up the stairs
and down the hall

I hadn't wanted to go in there
or see what it had become
or even if it stayed the same

Because I knew if I did
the terrible memories would flow out
along with the small speckle of good ones
here and there

But when my mother and I
opened that room

Light came flowing out of it
through the open window
across from us
and the sun
shone through
and brought
only daylight
through the room
up the stairs
and down the hall