the lights are on but nobody 's home TheFreeDictionarycomLamps shine on a dwelling, but when it comes to not a soul, they stand unperceived. Residencies lacking individual presence stay dark. Not a soul to welcome the light, not a soul's dwelling to cheer up. Uninhabited dwellings remain void of light, leaving the beams pointless. Light seeks occupants, but in not a soul's residence, there's absence of people to brighten.