24

I don't look at your hands as much as I used to
I don't feel things as shatteringly as I used to
When I look at you
You don't bruise
And I'm the first to avert my eyes
And that's fine
I'm someone entirely new
But now I know how things feel
My body wants to try them out with you
If dreams count as living
Then we've been forgiven
And I don't have to be strong anymore
So take off your kid gloves
In the dead of the night
Just forget love
And do what we've always been longing for
If dreams could be my waking hours
I'd want you all twenty-four
I've been such a good girl
I've been making progress
Did what my therapist said
And gave myself a rest
But every now and then you slip through my fortress
My masochistic dreams undo it all
As you undo my dress
And I'll never rid myself of this regret
Unless dreams count as living
'Cause then we'll be forgiven
And I won't have to be strong anymore
So take off your kid gloves
In the dead of the night
Just forget love
And do what we've always been longing for
If dreams could be my waking hours
I'd want you all twenty-four
Is this what I've been waiting for all this time?
To feel your body impossibly close to mine
Have I been healing or just dreaming up a life?
If each imagined moment counts as felt
Then we've had our best days while I was out for the count
So if dreams count as living
Then we've been forgiven
And I don't have to be strong anymore
So take off your kid gloves
In the dead of the night
Just forget love
And do what we've always been longing for
If dreams could be my waking hours
I'd want you all twenty-four
If dreams count as my waking hours
I've loved you well after all