It’s 1:00 in the morning
As usual, I can’t sleep
Thoughts of you make me toss and turn
Eventually I give in to insomnia
And I call you
Sleepily you answer
“God, Hon, do you know what time it is?”
I ask you, “Baby, where is this going?
“Will you still love me tomorrow?
“Will I still have this next year?”
Yawning, you answer, “Hon,
“How many times do I have to tell you?
“I’m not giving up on you.
“I’m never gonna leave you.
“I’ll always love you – I promise.”
I believed you till those final words
Don’t you dare make me any promises
You’re not allowed to say those words
“I promise...”
“I swear...”
“I’ll always...”
“I’ll never...”
They don’t mean a thing
A promise is like water
Cupped in your hands
Clutch at it and it disappears
But hold it gently
Cherish the sweet memory
And still it trickles away
Into nothingness
A promise
Like a rule
Or a heart
Is only made to be broken
Don’t make me any promises
Even my tolerating shoulders
Cannot bear the pain they cause
When they fall apart
Fall through
Like they always do
Like when he hit me
And she promised he would stop
Then he didn’t
And eventually left
Though he had vowed
Promised
“Till death do us part”
And she promised
She wouldn’t take him back
Then she did, again and again
Or like when they all promised
That things would never change
That we would always be there for one another
And that only good times lay before us
Yet still I sit here confused
Broken-hearted
Just broken in general
And alone
Don’t make me any promises.
They lie
They all lie
That’s all a “promise”
Truly is:
A gift-wrapped lie
Someone you care about
Maybe even love
But who knows what that is anyway?
Someone you care about
Stretches the truth
Then dresses it up
And gives it to you
It’s meant to make you feel good
But, in the end, it doesn’t make you
Feel, do, be anything
In the end, a promise breaks you
Don’t make me any promises.