Faded Bruises

When the bruises have faded
And the memories remain,
Sometimes it's easy to forget the pain.

The ease in your laugh
and the light in your smile,
Call to my soul to stay for a while.

In a world that should be black and white,
It's hard to tell if you're the darkness or the light.

I pull myself back -- begrudglingly.
Mourning a romance that I know can never be.

Sometimes in my dreams,
you still haunt me.
Showing the side of you ,
the world can never see.

It's hard to tell which is more damaging,
The painful marks you leave,
Or the ghosts of happy memories.

When the bruises have fade
And the memories remain.
I can close my eyes and erase all of your pain.